The Greatest of These
by The Telepathic Hawk
Summary: It's been years since the war ended and Duo is still dreaming of the one man who got away. What will he do when that man appears on his doorstep . . . with a baby? SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own anything at all to do with Gundam Wing. I just borrow the characters from time to time. I make no money off of this.

Author's Note: This is a slash fiction. Don't like? Please, don't read. I love reviews. If you have time, please leave one. If you feel the need to flame, please refrain from language and attacks on my person. Attacks on the work are just fine, if you don't like it. But, please, being rude does not get your point across any better than a civil flame. Thanks so much!

Duo Maxwell woke groggy, blinking and sitting up. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to shake the sleep from his clouded mind and figure out what had jerked him so rudely from his pleasant dreams. A small smile crossed his face as he thought about the dream that was more than a dream. It was memory. Hot, desperate kisses shared as he was pushed harshly up against the cold metal wall. Blazing caresses that left a fire burning on his skin as clothes were recklessly tossed aside. The black eyes of his lover glazed over with passion as their bodies melded and strained toward each other. The one time he had coupled with the strong man with the soul of a dragon had left him more satisfied and needy than he'd ever been in his life. Even now, almost ten years after that one perfect night, he could feel himself becoming aroused at the thought of it. He laid down again, willing to attempt sleep one more time. Sighing, he rolled over onto his stomach to attempt to curb his growing desire. One night when he was still a kid and he hadn't been satisfied with any other lover since. Not for lack of trying. Duo was a man who enjoyed sex. Sex of all kinds. Men, women, it didn't matter. Sex was sex. But, just once with his dragon and he'd never felt a connection the same way. Every person he fucked now seemed to be an attempt to erase the memory from his mind so that he could move on, perhaps some day find a partner he could share his life with. He couldn't help, though, that every time he climaxed he saw his face. He called out his name sometimes, too. He had ruined more potential relationships that way than he cared to think about.

They saw each other occasionally, at the get-togethers that Quatre always seemed to put together when he felt that they'd all been apart for far too long. Every time Duo would follow him out of the room at some point in the gathering. In a bathroom, a closet, behind a large tree, they would share deep, hot kisses that always promised more, but neither was comfortable going further in the light. It was how Duo knew that one night had meant as much to the man who still held his heart as it meant to him. "For old times sake," they would whisper before separating to calm themselves and head back to where the others had gathered. God, he loved him. Duo had realized it years before. He was seriously, head over heels, take you any way I can get you, in love with the man. It was why no other could satisfy him the way he had been satisfied once. He just . . . couldn't take the chance of that rejection. He'd had rejection once before when he'd thought he'd been in love and that love wasn't reciprocated. He'd long gotten over that, but his love for his beautiful dragon had not dimmed over the years as he'd expected it to. Instead, it had just intensified until the thought of a few kisses in a bathroom once every couple of years was all that really kept him going. He just wouldn't be able to handle it if he was rejected. He didn't know what he'd do, but it was better to remember and look forward to a few precious moments than think about any other Yes. Survival tactic? Yes. Regrettable? God, yes. Duo shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts and closed his eyes, praying sleep would come soon and let him lie peacefully in the arms of his dreams.

His eyes snapped open as a small noise echoed in the silence. He rolled over, sat up, his eyebrows furrowing in concentration. There it was again! His hand slipped under his pillow and touched the cool metal of the gun he kept there. He pulled it out, checked it in the moonlight and flipped the safety. It wasn't really loaded. Usually the sight of a gun was enough to deter anyone. But, he slipped a couple of bullets into his pajama pockets just in case. Quiet as a cat, he slipped from his bed, opened the door, and melted into the shadows of the hallway. He slipped down the hall, staying close to the wall. The noise, a cross between a small scratch and a knock, was coming from his front door. He slipped the lock quietly, took a deep breath, and threw the door open, his gun aimed directly at the head of the person he had least expected to see at his front door. He was shocked enough into lowering his gun."Wu Fei?"The Chinese man offered a small, exhausted half smile as he looked in at the shocked American. He looked horrible. His clothes were in utter disarray, so completely opposite from the meticulous look he normally had in regards to his appearance. The clothes themselves, his Preventer's uniform, looked as if they hadn't been washed in days. His hair, longer than when they were pilots, was held loosely in a sloppy ponytail with wisps of hair protruding everywhere. The back eyes were rimmed with dark, bruised colored circles. The last time he had washed his clothes was the last time he had slept, Duo surmised. The appearance of his friend, so usually put together was shocking enough, but when Duo saw what he was holding he thought his heart might stop.

In Wu Fei's arms, a small infant with dark curly hair rested quietly, oblivious to her surroundings in sleep. She was obviously Asian in descent, her eyes almond shaped. Opposite of Wu Fei, she seemed very well contented and taken care of. She was clean, looked well-fed. The bag thrown over Wu Fei's shoulder appeared to be full of things meant for the care of the infant. Duo rushed forward and took her in his own arms, tucking his gun in his waistband, as Wu Fei exhaustedly held her out to him and almost fell against the door frame. A deep cough racked his body, but he smiled to see the dark skin and darker curls resting against Duo's milky white chest.

"Sorry," he forced between coughs, "Apologies . . . Maxwell. I . . . I couldn't think of . . . any other place . . . to go."

"No apologies needed," Duo said softly, so as not to wake the baby, "Come inside, Wu. It's cold." Wu Fei took a step and his legs almost gave out beneath him. Duo quickly reached out with his free arm and wrapped it supportingly around the Chinese man's waist.

"We need to get you to a hospital," Duo murmured quietly.

"No," Wu Fei adamantly shook his head, "No hospital. Just need some sleep. Just sleep."

"Okay, Wu. Whatever you say." Duo led him to the nearest place to rest. Wu Fei fell on the couch as if it were the most luxurious bed. He closed his eyes as if to sleep, but they snapped open almost immediately.

"Is Sheira all right?"

"She's fine, Wu Fei. You've taken excellent care of her. You just sleep now and let me take care of her."

"Let me see her. Just for a moment." Duo knelt next to the couch and displayed the baby to his exhausted friend.

"See, all tuckered out. Just like you. Now take her hint and sleep."

"Good night, sweet girl," Wu Fei leaned forward and kissed the child's curls, "Papa loves you so much. Duo?"Duo's eyes snapped up to meet with Wu Fei's at the use of his first name, "You will take care of her if anything should happen to me, won't you?"

"Don't talk like that."

Wu Fei grabbed Duo's shoulder with surprising strength and pulled him closer, "Won't you?"

"Yeah, Wu. I'll take care of her. But, you just sleep now. You'll see her in the morning."

"Thank you." Wu Fei leaned up, and pressed his lips harshly to Duo's, "Thank you," he repeated, before collapsing back onto the couch. Duo, still in shock, covered him with a heavy blanket and took the baby into his room to sleep in the center of his bed. Then, he went and watched over Wu Fei until the sun rose.


	2. Chapter 2

All previous disclaimers apply.

Quatre Reberba Winner-Barton groaned as he was awakened by the sound of the videophone on his bedside table ringing. For a spit second he thought of pulling his pillow over his head and letting it ring. Then, on a second thought, he sat up like lightning and answered. He scowled automatically at the cheery American face that greeted him.

"Hey, Quat! What's up?" He asked energetically.

"Shh!" Quatre hissed, putting a finger to his lips. Duo's face was a mask of confusion as Quatre waited tensely. A sheepish smile crossed Duo's face as the cry of a baby permeated the air. Quatre sent him a look frighteningly similar to his worst zero system face.

"Shit!" he swore ripely, surprising his American friend.

"I've got him, love," Duo heard Trowa's voice and watched in the background as the tall man slipped from the bed and moved from his view.

"Sorry, man. Totally forgot about the new baby. How is he, anyway?"

"Jayden is just fine, Duo."

"How you guys holding up?"

"We're fine, Duo. It's not as if we're first time fathers."

Duo continued, unable to sense the annoyance in Quatre's voice, "First time fathers, no. First time fathers of an infant, yes."

"Duo, in case you didn't know, it's three o'clock in the morning here. We just put the baby down after his a feeding an hour ago, got to sleep half an hour ago. So, I'm not exactly inclined to be very polite right now. In other words, Duo . . . What the Hell do you want?"

"Sheesh. Fine, be like that. I just thought you might want to know, seeing as you called in such a panic a couple of weeks back, that Wu Fei is here at my place. Got here just a little over an hour ago."

"Wu Fei?" Quatre's eyes widened, then closed as he tilted his face to the ceiling, "Thank Allah."

"Thank Allah for what?" Trowa's voice asked quietly as he slipped into view next to Quatre, holding his infant son in his arms. The baby had already fallen back to sleep, but Trowa hadn't been willing to put him down just yet.

"Wu Fei is at Duo's." Quatre explained.

"Thank God for that," Trowa sighed, then looked at Duo, "How is he?"

"Not so good." Duo admitted, "He looks as if he hasn't slept or eaten in about two weeks. He's gaunt, pale. And he has this cough. Sounds like it's tearing apart his chest."

"You've got to get him to a hospital!" Quatre exclaimed.

"He said no hospital. I'm going to honor his request. Don't look so worried, Q-man. If he gets any worse, I don't care what he wants, he'll go."

"Good," As if on a sudden thought, Quatre's eyes went wide with panic, "Sheira! Is Sheira there? Is she okay?"

"The kid?" Duo asked, then shrugged, "She's fine. She's still sleeping. She looks good. Hell of a lot better than her daddy. He is her daddy, isn't he?"

"Yes," Quatre smiled a little sadly, "Wu Fei is Sheira's daddy." He said it almost regretfully. He knew the feelings Duo carried for Wu Fei and knew the idea that he might have chosen elsewhere would hurt him.

"And who might her mommy be?"

"Sally," Quatre answered, "Her mother was Sally Po."

"Was?"

"Yes. Sally's dead. She died almost a month ago."


	3. Chapter 3

All previous disclaimers apply.

"Well, good morning, Sweetheart," Duo smiled tiredly as he walked into his bedroom to see the baby sitting up, rubbing her eyes, and looking as if she wanted to cry. Only, unlike most kids he knew, Quatre and Trowa's kids and Relena and Heero's twins, she didn't cry. She just looked up at him, her eyes miserable. His eyebrows went up and his breath hitched when she held out her arms in an unquestionable demand that he pick her up.

"So, you want up, huh?" Duo swallowed harshly and moved to the bed, lifting her awkwardly, "Why was this so much easier for me when you were asleep?" The baby made things easy on him and settled comfortably on his shoulder, laying her head against his neck and sniffling.

"So, what's up, Sweetheart? Why do you look so sad? Huh? Don't suppose you could tell me. What is it babies want? Food, sleep, or . . . oh. Diaper?" He gave her bottom a pat and grimaced, "Yep. Diaper. So, let's see what Daddy has in this bag, huh?" With one hand, he lifted the flap and his eyes widened, "Shit, Sweetheart. These things are real. Leave it to your dad. What's wrong with velcro? Huh, Sweetheart? Velcro's not such an evil thing, is it? All right, let's see what we can do about this, huh? Okay. Here we go."

Ten minutes, and a seemingly very amused baby, later the diaper sagged just a little bit at the bottom, but generally stayed in place as Duo picked the baby up and surveyed his handiwork. After realizing that this funny new man was going to be changing her diaper Sheira had decided to like him. She had smiled and kicked at his numerous attempts at her diaper before successfully completing it, but she had been so good-natured that Duo had been laughing as well and the task that seemed like such a chore when he changed the diapers of his other friend's children had become less of a chore and more of an amusement. Amazingly. After the completion of the diaper she looked up at him with an expectancy that left him a little confused.

"Okay, so we got the diaper thing done. What do you want now? What would I want now?" His stomach growled as if to answer his question. "Breakfast! Right on! Let's see what we've got here." He dove into the bag with one hand and pulled out a can. "Formula. Good. Nutritious and delicious, huh, Sweetheart? Let's see. Empty bottle. Bottle liners? What the hell do you use these things for? Oh, wait, I see. Goes inside to cut down on the washing. Hell, Sweetheart, we don't mind a little washing do we? Nah. Probably makes it taste bad too, huh? So, we'll wash. What else? You look a little old to be satisfied with just formula." He set down the bottle liners next to the formula on his dresser, unconsciously placed a kiss to Sheira's forehead, and reached into the bag again.

"Infant cereal. Looks like cream of wheat to me. Must be better for you though. Strained peas. Yum." He made a face and was graced by one of the baby's cherubic smiles. "This one doesn't look too bad, especially for breakfast. Bananas. Okay, so we've got the makings of breakfast here. Formula for a bottle, cereal, and bananas. I think Lena would be proud of me. I just hope that by doing all this for you she won't expect me to baby-sit when she has her next baby. Did I tell you that, Sweetheart? Lena and Heero are gonna have another baby. Heero called me, just about as happy as I've ever seen him, a couple of days ago. I don't think they've told anyone else yet. Though she's already three months along. I guess they just don't want to get their hopes up. After all, she's had such a hard time conceiving and carrying after the twins' delivery was so hard. Well, Sweetheart, you might not be such a good conversationalist, but you do listen really well. I think that's the most I've said in a single conversation for months. Okay, let's see what we've got here. Oh, this is the easy stuff. It's the same stuff that Quatre and Trowa used for Briseis. I guess she was just about your age when they adopted her. I know how to do this stuff. But, what to do with you?"

Duo gathered the supplies he'd need and placed them in the middle of the blanket that Sheira had been wrapped in. She made things simple on him by settling comfortably on his hip as he grabbed things out of the bag he assumed to be toys for her to play with and added those. Then, gathering the corners of the blanket he carried her through the small house, checking briefly that Wu Fei was still sleeping, then into the kitchen. She seemed perfectly content as he laid the blanket on the floor and set her on it, surrounded by her toys. He chattered conversationally as he made her breakfast, turning every once in a while to check on her. Most of the time when he turned he found her sitting on the blanket, clutching a stuffed dog almost as big as herself, and simply watching him contentedly. The amazing smile she flashed him every time he turned made his heart skip a beat.

"You know," he crouched next to her, "You really are beautiful, Sweetheart. Your mom was beautiful, too. I . . . I don't hold it against her that your dad fell for her. It's just . . . well, I've kinda been head over heels in love with your daddy for a long time and I never saw them as a couple. You're an unexpected surprise, in other words. But, you're a good one. Don't get me wrong. Why am I telling you this stuff? You don't understand. But, one thing I know you will understand. Breakfast time."

He agonized over the problem of having no high chair for just a minute before deciding that he could feed the baby just as well if he sat her on his lap facing toward him, one hand supporting her back and holding her up and the other used for feeding. She smiled sweetly and took the first few bites of the breakfast without complaint, but after she was no longer as hungry, began to play more than eat. In the end, the result of all of his coaxing and all of her refusal resulted in three quarters of the cereal and fruit in her and the other quarter spread over his chest and her face and hair. He couldn't help but laugh, she was so sweet about everything and was not angry at all as he called into work and explained that a recently widowed old friend had come by and wasn't doing so well. The secretary, then his female boss had assumed that this friend was a woman and he had done nothing to correct their misconception. He had become a hero in their eyes for offering to stay with his "poor, sweet" friend and take care of her "darling angel." His boss had instructed him to take "absolutely as long as you need to help your friend get back on her feet." He assured her that he would be back in just a few days, then thought of Wu Fei's condition.

"Cammi?" He was hesitant to ask so much of his boss. She had gone out on a real limb by hiring him when he'd first come looking for a job. He'd had no experience what so ever in advertising when he'd walked into the office. She, a devoted wife and mother of four, had thought he was cute and had given him a personal interview. He had managed to charm her enough into a job as a general delivery and go-getter. Slowly, he had learned enough to make his own presentation to her for a huge account that had beat out her other options. And her clients had loved it. So, he had gone from being the delivery boy to being one of the most successful agents in the firm, well on his way to a vice presidency. He didn't want to have to ask her any more favors, but it wasn't every day that the man he was in love with collapsed in his front door and needed desperately to be nursed back to health.

"Yeah, Duo?" she asked. He could hear in her voice how busy she was. Probably going over the new sketches for the Millerson account. He could picture her, balancing the phone between her ear and shoulder, silently turning the horrible ideas away while comparing the good ones, every once-in-a-while touching a finger to the framed family portrait on her desk, dreaming of the summer vacation to Mexico she and her husband had planned for themselves and their children that summer. He really hated to ask her this, but he had to.

"First of all, the friend . . . isn't a woman. It's a man. He's a friend . . . from the war."

Cammi was the only person he had trusted in what he called his "new life" who knew about who and what he's been during the war years. The fact that she hadn't run screaming and still allowed him to baby-sit her kids was what made them such good friends. One day while he was working a coworker had opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the landing of a big account. He had been working late everyday for two weeks preparing for a presentation of his own and had had two hours of sleep in seventy-two when it had happened. The popping of the cork had regressed his tired mind to the war and gunshots and the Deathscythe and the losing of friends and killing. He had reached for the gun he no longer kept in the back of his pants and had begun to panic, feeling as if he was trapped. When one of he coworkers, a large black man with a genuinely nice personality, had noticed his strange behavior, he had approached Duo. In his panic and war clouded mind, Duo had lashed out at him, nearly breaking his arm. Then, he had blacked out. When he had come to, the same man had laid him on the couch in Cammi's office and she had been gently dabbing him with a cold compress.

"Oh, gods," he had sat up, a titanic headache making him a little dizzy, "What happened?"

"Oh, I'd say you had a huge panic attack and regressed to your years in the war." Cammi had watched his reaction carefully and he hadn't disappointed.

"I didn't hurt anyone, did I? God, I thought I was over all of this."

"Duo, how old are you?"

"Twenty-two. Why?"

"So, that would have made you a Gundam pilot," she had whispered.

"Yeah, I . . . wait. How did you know?"

"Well, Duo, I wasn't born yesterday. The only young people involved directly in the war were the Gundam pilots. And the way you reacted to John. He tried to get to you. You lashed out at him, told him that you would never be taken alive and they wouldn't have the Deathscythe either. Then, you slammed your hand down on the desk, emulated pointing a gun at your head, and collapsed."

"In the war, we were taught that death was the better option when having to decide between that and capture. Slamming my hand down on the desk," he had chuckled darkly in the back of his throat, "I was trying to self-detonate. I didn't think it was working. I tried to shoot myself. That was how things would have gone.

I'm sorry, Cammi. I'll apologize to John and clear out my desk."

"Why would you do that?"

"Not so many people want a Gundam pilot for an employee."

"Duo, who you were has nothing to do with who you are. And you are an excellent employee. I wouldn't fire you. Just . . . get more sleep, Duo. We don't want a repeat performance of today. An apology to John isn't a bad idea either. You really attacked him. I think you almost snapped his arm."

"Just like that. I was a Gundam pilot and I'm okay to work here still? Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that. Go home, Duo. Sleep for about a week. Oh, could you baby-sit Friday night? It's Fritz and my anniversary and we wanted to go out. Maybe make little Froud number four. What do you say? Please?"

And it had been just like that. Cammi had become his good friend and confidante and he had worked harder than ever for her. There was nothing about him that she didn't know. He felt comfortable calling her on the rare occasion that he drank himself into a stupor with no way home. In return, she had called him the night Fritz had been in a horrible car accident. He'd held her hand through it all and rejoiced when he'd pulled through. It was she he had turned to when he had killed once more, a man who had kidnapped and tried to kill Quatre and Trowa's oldest. Wu Fei had been there immediately afterwards, but not for long. He'd had his own life to get back to. His pregnant Sally, Duo now knew. Duo had stayed with Cammi for nearly a month before he was ready to move on. Killing in the war had been easy. Killing was no longer easy or enjoyable. Killing made him sick. That was the reason, Cammi often told him, she loved having him around her children. One does what one has to do. That does not mean one always enjoys it, both she, Fritz, and now he emphasized to them. He was uncle to her three oldest and godfather to her fourth.

"A friend from the war?" Cammi asked, still distracted. Then, she gasped, "Oh, Duo. It's not?"

"Yeah, it is." Duo responded, his voice taking on an edge that he hadn't meant to show through.

"Duo . . ." Cammi sighed sympathetically. She knew exactly who Duo spoke of when his voice took on that breathless, hurt quality. During the time they were sitting together in the emergency room waiting room praying for Fritz's life he had found his emotions raw and unprotected. He didn't know what had compelled him to tell her of his unrequited love, but it had seemed to help her in dealing with her fear to know the man sitting next to her felt love as deeply as she. But, while she had gotten to share her love, he never had. That was something to cherish. Of course, then Fritz had pulled through. It was due to the knowledge of his heartbreak and knowing that when he drank himself into a stupor it was over the same subject that she didn't mind picking him up when he was drunk. She was also the only woman in the office who knew that Duo was bisexual. He enjoyed flirting and even having the occasional fling with women, so he didn't deem it necessary that the other women in the office know the one who held his heart was a man. Cammi saw nothing wrong with this and flirted shamelessly with him, even in front of Fritz. Duo flirted just as shamelessly back, even with Fritz, just to see the handsome man blush and stammer. They had become his family.

"He . . . he needs me, Cams. And so does Sheira."

"Don't worry about it, love. Just concentrate on getting him better. Consider yourself officially on vacation. With pay. But Duo, I have to ask you for one thing."

"Yeah, Cams, anything. I'll even give you my firstborn if you really want."

"Please, Duo. Six is really enough for me."

"Cammi, last time I checked you only had four kids."

"Yeah, well, the kids were at my mom's house and Fritz and I had just a little too much wine."

"Congratulations, Cammi. Really. But . . . wait. Six?"

"Twins," Cammi sighed and he could hear the happiness in her voice, "I just found out at the doctor's office about an hour ago. I haven't told Fritz yet."

"Cammi, something like this shouldn't have to wait. You should take the rest of the day off and go attack Fritz at the school between classes. Or better yet, attack him during class. I'm sure he'll forgive you once you tell him he's gonna be a daddy two more times."

"Yeah," Cammi sighed again, "I might take a half day. They don't need me here all day. Really, they don't. Do they?"

"No, they don't."

"I'll do it! Thanks, Duo, you always . . . wait, wait, wait . . . how did this happen? I was about to ask you a favor and instead you have me dreaming of telling my husband he's gonna be a daddy again."

"Yeah, I have a way about making you lose your train of thought, especially when you're day dreaming anyway."

"Duo!" her voice was filled with laughter and exasperation.

"Okay, okay. What's the favor?"

"Don't lose your heart to this guy, Duo. Just because he needs you so much. When he gets better, he's not gonna need you anymore, just like you're always telling me when you're drunk. He doesn't need you like you need him."

"Cams, you know me better than almost anyone. And I guess you also already know that I lost my heart to him a long time ago. But, no matter what happens, I can make you one promise."

"What's that?"

"He won't break me."

"Good, Duo. That's good to know. Now, tell me about this little girl."

"Well, to start with, she's absolutely beautiful."


	4. Chapter 4

All previous disclaimers apply.

"Papa? Papa, where are you? Papa? Father? Father, please! Where are you?" A small voice cried into the darkness of the large house.

"Umm," Quatre moaned, coming awake groggily. He blinked a couple of times, sighed, and looked at the clock. He could feel Trowa coming into similar awareness as his husband's arm began to shift from its position spooning him close.

"Did you hear something?" Trowa asked.

"I thought so," Quatre answered, "Though I don't hear it anymore."

"Huh," Trowa pulled him closer, burying his face in his small, lighter husband's hair, "Go back to sleep, love."

"Yeah," Quatre murmured, "Sleep. Not something we've had a lot of tonight."

Trowa chuckled deeply and pressed his lips to the back of Quatre's neck. Quatre smiled and was about to roll over to press his lips to his husband's when the small, frightened voice began to call out again.

"Father? Papa? Please!"

"Briseis!" Quatre gasped. Both he and Trowa were out of the bed and running down the hall in a split second. Quatre reached the door of their oldest daughter's room and threw it open. He was sitting on her bed in a flash, gathering her in his arms as she came awake, choking on a sob. Trowa calmed slightly when he knew his little girl was in his husband's arms and slowed slightly. Enough to turn on the light and stop for a glass of water in the bathroom just inside the door. On a second thought, he also wet down a wash cloth. He took a deep breath to calm the anger that always accompanied one of his baby's nightmares. There was no reason for such a small, sweet baby to have such horrible nightmares.

He and Quatre had adopted Briseis when she was just over six months old. They'd only been eighteen years old at the time and not yet married. But, she had needed them desperately. A baby made orphan by an earthquake, Quatre hadn't been able to leave her when he'd left the relief workers. So, he's brought the baby home to his heart and his love. Together, they'd nursed her and brought her back from the edge of death. She had become theirs in every way and the day of their wedding had been made even more special when Relena presented them the official papers that only required their signatures to make her officially theirs. She was the first in their hearts, their eldest, and they loved her beyond all reason and doubt, like parent's should.

Just under a year ago someone had taken advantage of that fact. Briseis had been abducted at her school, one of her teachers nearly beaten to death trying to defend her. For three agonizing days Quatre and Trowa and their two other little ones had waited. The ransom calls were bad enough, but Quatre had nearly had a nervous breakdown when he had heard his baby girl crying out in pain over the phone. Calling for him when he couldn't get to her. The doctors had been forced to sedate him. Relena had come over with her own children to watch over Quatre and try to relieve the tension the whole situation was putting on Quatre and Trowa's sons. One, Judah, was just six months younger and almost her twin, despite being adopted. The other, Taver, was only two years old and very confused as to what was happening. Relena had been a guardian angel to all of them. Then, Wu Fei had called.

The Preventers were taking no chances with the kidnapping of a child of two former Gundam pilots. The Preventers owed them for all of the times they had helped out, but the kidnapping might also be just a cover-up for something far more dangerous that had to do with the pilots. Using all of the resources at their disposal, Sally, Wu Fei, Noin, and Heero had searched out and found Quatre and Trowa's little girl. They were planning a strike on the kidnappers hide out, but they needed at least one more to assure that Briseis would be safe. Sally had been six months pregnant at the time and unable to join them. That night had been the hardest of Trowa's life, waiting before the strike, then seeing a man with no heart in his eyes holding a knife to his baby's throat.

"She's just a baby. Let her go!"

"I want my money, fag! Give me my money and you'll get your precious baby! She's pretty, isn't she? It's a good thing you came when you did. Some of the guys were talking about just how pretty she is. And just how much they'd like to have a few minutes with her. Hell, wouldn't mind taking a minute alone with her myself. You raise pretty kids, fag. Must be because of that pretty husband of yours, huh? Where is he? News said he had a nervous breakdown. Too bad." He had jerked Briseis around and pressed the knife closer. Trowa had had to clench his teeth and swallow hard to keep himself under control as he watched a thin line of blood work it's way down his little girl's neck. Her eyes broke his heart. They were wide and frightened as she watched what the man she had always known as Papa would do. Would he save her? Could he save her? Unconsciously, he set two fingers to his lips.

"Kisses for my girl," he whispered the familiar phrase, looking her directly in her deep ice green eyes. He watched, amazed, as his scared, brave sweetheart pressed two fingers to her skirt.

"Kisses from my papa. Kisses right back." The phrase she said so often echoed in his mind. Here she was, the one in danger, trying to reassure him. And he couldn't stand to see his baby like that anymore. Something snapped in his mind and he became suddenly desperate.

"You'll get your money, I swear to you. But, please, I'm begging you. Do you see? I'm here in front of you begging for my daughter's life. Let her go. Can't you see she's frightened? She's just a baby. Let her go and I'll see to it that you get everything you want. No one will follow you."

"How do I know you won't just shoot me in the back? No. Better to kill her, I think. After all, I'm just gonna die anyway. Why give you the satisfaction of my death and having her back? That doesn't seem quite fair, does it? No. Not fair at all."

Everything had seemed to happen in slow motion as the man, now obviously quite insane, began to press the knife harder to his baby's throat. He had reached for the gun hidden in the waistband of his pants, but even as he reached he knew that he would be too late to save his girl's life. He wasn't quite sure what had happened until the man slumped forward, releasing his baby. Duo, an addition to the team added so late that he hadn't even known about him, stood, shaking slightly, a gun still aimed and smoking. The back of the kidnapper's head was testament to just how dead he was. Duo hadn't fired a gun, much less killed a man in nearly nine years. He had dropped the gun as if it were burning and fallen to his knees, simply staring at the dead man.

"Help him," Trowa had delegated to Wu Fei. He himself only had eyes for his little girl. She had fallen to her knees when her captor had slumped over. She knelt on the floor then, her eyes spilling tears as she reached out her arms for him. He had sprinted to her, pulled her away from the corpse and simply held onto her for dear life, reassuring himself that she was alive and well. He could feel her heartbeat as she clung to him, her hot tears soaking into his shirt. She made no sound, but her small frame shook with silent sobs. Trowa was unashamed of the tears that came from his own eyes as he placed kiss after kiss to her dark hair.

"Oh God, oh baby. My sweetheart, my girl. It's all going to be okay now. Papa's here. No one's ever going to hurt you again. Never again. Oh, baby, baby, baby. I'm here. I love you so much. I just love you so damn much."

"I knew you would come," her small voice in his ear had been unsteady, but filled with unveiled relief, "I knew you would come for me, Papa. Thank you for coming for me, Papa. I love you, Papa. I love you. Papa?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Is Uncle Duo okay?"

Trowa had turned and noticed just how badly the shooting had affected Duo. He was still sitting on the floor, breathing shallowly, his face deathly pale. Trowa knew something had to be done immediately when Duo had not even reacted to Wu Fei's gentle prodding, his soft words. Wu Fei had even pressed his lips gently to Duo's in hopes of a reaction, surprising himself with the actions he had taken. But, Trowa had had an idea and prayed with all his might that it would work before Duo completely broke down. The teams had worked quickly to remove the body and he felt nothing but a small regret about letting his daughter down.

"Bri, baby. I don't want to put you down. I just want to hold you forever and ever, but Uncle Duo needs you now, okay?"

"Okay, Papa," Briseis had whispered.

Trowa had blessed his sweetheart's good soul when he put her down and she immediately ran to Duo, wrapping her arms around his neck. Duo, in contact with the exact reason he had shot, had wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her long hair. Trowa had known that all he needed was reassurance as to why he had shot. He had taken life, an evil life, so that his sweet, innocent niece would live.

"God, sweetheart, are you okay?" Duo had held her out at arms length and surveyed her, "He didn't hurt you, did he, baby?"

"No, Uncle Duo. He didn't hurt me." Briseis had answered, her bottom lip trembling. Her eyes kept darting back to her papa, who was looking as if he was going to swoop her back into his arms any second and never let her go. Duo couldn't blame him. He pressed Briseis back to his chest for just a moment, cupping the back of her head and breathing in her sweet scent. She was alive thanks to him. That was all he needed to know.

"Go back to your papa now, sweetheart. He needs you."

Briseis had not argued. She had left his arms and Trowa had swept her back up, feeling his tears start again. His heart broke and he felt real anger for the first time, not fear or worry, at those who had kidnapped his little girl. She was trembling in his arms. So much like Quatre, she had been able to hold back her own emotion as long as someone else needed her to be strong. When she was finally back in the safety of her papa's embrace, knowing that he would not blame or fault her, she could let her emotions rule. All of the fear, the anger, the terror, and the dread came together as her teeth began to chatter and she slipped into the beginning stages of shock. Trowa had held her closer, using one arm to rub her back, creating friction to warm her. He spoke to her gently as he stepped into an ambulance. They had allowed him to hold her, her face hidden in his shirt, as they examined her. He had sat by her side all night in the hospital when they had decided to hold her under observation for exposure and dehydration. He had been there for the first of the horrible nightmares that made her cry out in the night.

Just as she was still doing, nearly a year later. Trowa gripped the edge of the sink for just a moment to let the anger pass so that it wasn't present in his eyes when he went to offer comfort. The last thing Briseis needed was to displace his anger with what had happened and mistake it for anger at her. He calmed himself and moved out of the bathroom. The sight that greeted him was enough to make his smile slightly. Quatre was holding their baby on his lap, rocking her and stroking her dark her, so in contrast to his own coloring. Her face was turned into his shoulder, but there were no tears. The only thing betraying how truly upset she was were her shoulders shaking with her silent dry sobs. Trowa moved to the bed, sat down on the edge and moved Briseis's hair to set the cool wash cloth to the back of her neck.

"What was it, baby?" Quatre questioned gently, knowing that she would tell them. Their family counseling sessions had revealed to them that communication was key in all matters. To heal, they all needed to be able to speak to each other. No matter what she said, no matter how much it broke Quatre and Trowa's hearts to hear the fear of the men still in her voice, they had to listen. Briseis spoke to them, they listened without pretense or anger.

"It was dark," she murmured, "There were growls and screams all around me. I couldn't make them go away even when I covered my ears. And then, I saw you and Papa and Judah and Taver and Jayden and no matter how far or how fast I ran I couldn't get to you," She looked up at Quatre then, her bright eyes surprised and a small smile on her angelic face, "But, no bad men, Father. There were no bad men."

"That's good, baby," Quatre smiled, pulling her closer to him again, "That's so good, baby. You don't know how happy that makes me. How happy that makes your papa. Baby, it's so good. So good." He kissed their daughter's forehead as she curled her fingers into the fabric of his tee-shirt.

Trowa couldn't help but smile at the tears in his husband's eyes even as his own began to gather. Briseis turned to him and he gathered her in his arms as well, silently rocking and revealing to her just how happy he was. They still had a long way to go before all of them could completely heal and move on, but they had come so far. And, they now knew that it would be possible for them to move past the horrible event that had dominated their lives for so long. For the past year, they had dealt with the nightmares, the constant fear. But, if their sweet baby girl could move on with her life, they could now feel no guilt in doing the same. All of the Winner-Barton children had devoted body guards and were loved at their respective schools enough that the teachers were willing to do whatever it took to keep them safe. They could all continue to heal, this time really heal.

"This . . ." Quatre murmured as they made their way back to their bedroom a little while later after seeing Briseis and their boys safely tucked in their beds and peacefully sleeping, "This is such a special night. I don't know if I'm going to be able to fall back to sleep. First, Duo's call, then Briseis . . . It's just such a good night, Trowa."

"I know, love," Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre's waist from behind and kissed the back of his neck, "We lead a wonderful life, my Quatre."

"Yes," Quatre agreed, "There's only one thing missing."

"What might that be?"

Quatre turned his head and smiled, "Another daughter."

"Quatre!" Trowa smiled, "Jayden is still just an infant. It's a little early to be thinking about another baby just yet, isn't it?"

"Maybe. But, when Jayden gets a little older . . ."

"We'll talk about it again then," Trowa amended, allowing his husband to lead him toward the bed for what he knew would be a memorable time as the sun rose. As long as Jayden kept sleeping in his bassinet just to the side of the bed. Well, they would just have to be quiet, "And Quatre?"

"Yes, my love?" Quatre's face was serene as he laid on the bed and drew Trowa down to lay lengthwise on top of him, closing his eyes with the pleasure his husband's body on top of his brought.

"I think another girl would be wonderful," Trowa whispered, just before he covered his husband's mouth with his own and neither of them thought any more.


	5. Chapter 5

All previous disclaimers apply.

"You really don't say much, do you, sweetheart?" Duo asked of the quiet baby girl, currently falling asleep on his chest as he laid on his bed. The late morning sun was shining through the window and bathed them both in it's soft light and warmth. After his conversation with Cammi Duo had checked on Wu Fei, only to find him sleeping deeply, the only disturbance to that sleep the wracking cough that seemed to seize his exhausted and feverish friend all too frequently. He had been so deeply asleep and had seemed to need that sleep so badly, that Duo hadn't had the heart to wake him and move him to the bed. When he woke next would be good enough. So, he had just covered him better and left him to his sleep. Then, seeing as both he and the baby were still covered in food, he decided on a shower.

The water play with the baby had been much more fun than he was expecting as he held her close to himself under the spray and washed her gently. She had smiled when he began to sing quietly and played with the loose tendrils of wet hair that had come out of his braid. He wanted to wash it, but he couldn't risk putting the baby down. So, he settled for letting the water thoroughly soak his hair and decided that he would wash it when the baby was down for a nap later in the day. After all, he didn't have much to do now that he was on an official vacation. Then again, he did have to go grocery shopping at some point in the day. If he was going to take care of Wu Fei and feed all of them, he would need a lot more in his apartment, and not just groceries, than he presently had. And that presented a problem. Wu Fei had taken care of the baby thus far even as sick as he was. A few hours tops probably wouldn't be that taxing. As long as he went when the baby had just laid down. Sheira had brought his wandering mind back to hers by reaching out and touching his face with her small hand.

"Okay. Okay. We're getting out."

Now, he was laying on his bed, Sheira clothed in the cute little pajamas with feet he had found in her bag and falling asleep on his chest. He had brought his thermometer out of the bathroom and put it on his bedside table, intending to go take Wu Fei's temperature, but then Sheira had just looked so cute, sitting on his bed, yawning widely, that he couldn't resist laying with her, if just for a moment. He had noticed that the whole day, all the while he had been taking care of her, Sheira had not made one noise. She hadn't cried, she hadn't laughed. A normal baby would have cried to have her diaper changed. A normal baby would have laughed half the time that all she did was smile. So, maybe Sheira was no normal baby. All he knew was that with her lying on his chest where he could feel her heart beating and knowing that he had something to do with making her warm and comfortable, he was falling in love with her. Falling in love with a baby.

"Yep, you're definitely a looker," Duo murmured, stoking a hand over the baby's curly hair and running a finger down her cheek.

"She looks like her mother," The new, yet familiar, voice surprised Duo as he turned to see Wu Fei wearily leaning against the doorway. He looked as if he were ready to topple over at the slightest breeze. Duo carefully shifted Sheira onto the bed and got up. He took it as a bad sign when Wu Fei didn't even fight him as he put an arm around his waist and helped the smaller, darker man to the bed. Halfway there Wu Fei doubled over against the force of his coughing. Duo winced at how deep it sounded, seriously reconsidering his stance on whether Wu Fei needed to go to the hospital or not.

"Wu, man," he frowned as he laid Wu Fei on his bed and the Chinese man fell upon it, breathing as if he had just come from the most difficult of battles, "Really, I think we need to get you to a hospital. No joke, man. You can't breathe, you're coughing like the dying, you look worse. Man, you really need to get to a hospital."

"No," Wu Fei said adamantly, grabbing onto Duo's shoulder as he knelt next to the bed, "No hospitals, Maxwell. I'm no better off there than I am here. With you. In your care."

"Wu Fei, please," Duo grabbed his hand and moved it from his shoulder, holding it firmly in his own, 'I'm begging you. If you won't do it for me, and you obviously won't do it for yourself, do it for Sheira. She needs you."

"No. Hospital." Wu Fei repeated, his voice weakening, "Never again. They couldn't help my Sally girl. They won't help me." He didn't notice Duo's pained expression, "You know me as well as anyone, Maxwell. I am strong enough to fight this off. But . . . I need your help."

"Well," Duo smiled, "This is a first. Wu Fei Chang asking for my help. Okay. No hospital. But, we have to lay some ground rules here. Your temperature is currently . . ." Duo put the advanced thermometer in Wu Fei's ear. It sounded just under two seconds later with his temperature, "One hundred and two degrees. You reach one hundred and four we go to the hospital." Wu Fei nodded in agreement, "You begin to cough up blood we go to the hospital," Another nod. Duo had a sudden thought and picked Sheira up and pulled her away from Wu Fei, "Sheira will not be allowed in the same room as you until the fever and the cough are gone. She's just a baby. I know it's going to be hard for you, but if you get her sick, there's no telling if she'll be able to recover." Wu Fei winced, but nodded again, "You will not leave this room except to use the restroom. You will not even leave the bed."

"Maxwell . . ." Wu Fei frowned. His eyes were beginning to close of their own accord. Even the small walk and short conversation were exhausting him. Duo wanted him to be able to sleep, but he still had a question.

"No, Wu Fei. You're not going to help yourself by walking around and trying to do more than your body is capable of, despite what your mind thinks. Do you understand?"

"Yes," his reply was little more than a sigh.

"Just one more thing," Duo set a hand to Wu Fei's forehead and smiled, "Why doesn't Sheira make any noises?"

"She used to," Wu Fei murmured, already half asleep, "She used to make noise just to hear herself. Coo and giggle and cry. I miss that. She hasn't made a noise since Sally died. Not one noise."

For a moment all Duo could do was watch Wu Fei as he finally gave into his body's demand for rest and closed his eyes to sleep. His breathing was deep, but not even. It made Duo wince to watch him struggle to breathe around such a wracking cough. He wanted to stay with him, but he knew that he needed to get Sheira out of the room. She was going to miss her daddy. He could tell by the way she was already reaching out for him, but he knew that it would be much better and much safer for her to get her out of the room. She might not like it, but it was what had to be done. She glared at him as he took her out of the room and went into the kitchen area to make a phone call.

"Yes, Duo, what is it?" Cammi smiled at him despite her greeting.

"You haven't gone to jump Fritz yet," he observed with an arched eyebrow.

"Are you kidding?" She laughed, "You alone with a baby? I've been to your house, remember? You hardly ever have coffee for when you're hung over, let alone real food and baby stuff. Now, you're taking care of a very sick man and his infant daughter? Yeah. I knew you would need to call me for help sooner or later. I was just betting on it being sooner. I'll jump Fritz after I go shopping with you. Is that her?"

"Yeah," Duo shifted Sheira so that Cammi could see her better in the video phone, "This is my sweetheart."

"You weren't exaggerating. She's a beautiful baby, Duo. So, while I'm on my way over, put some real clothes on her and start straightening up your office room. It's going to be the nursery."


	6. Chapter 6

All previous disclaimers apply.

"So," Duo smiled as he surveyed the new office turned nursery. He had never really used the office anyway, even when he was working on an important account. He had always cared more for the kitchen table and his laptop than the small table and P.C. in the good sized room. So, it hadn't been that much of a sacrifice to move the computer into the closet and fold up the table to be stored in the same closet. The former owners of the small house had had the room painted a pleasant pale yellow that he had always liked. The office had never seemed suited for the room, but the nursery seemed to fill it beautifully. The new oak crib, the rocking chair Cammi had insisted he buy, the changing table, the matching dresser topped with baby supplies, even the new shelves he had had a wonderful time filling with toys, they all seemed to just fit. Duo surveyed the room with an air of contentment that surprised him. Even the female flourishes Cammi had added seemed to fit. The large rug with the pattern of fanciful dragons and fairies in the center of the wooden floor, the curtains. It all spoke to him in a pleasing way, "What do you think?"

"I think it's beautiful," Cammi answered, her arms crossed as she looked in at the room with satisfaction, "Especially for something we just put together today. What are you, Duo? Some kind of pinch penny? I saw those balances when you checked. Have you been saving since you started working for me?"

"Something like that," Duo admitted, "In the war, the only thing we indulged in was our Gundams. We were taught to go without and if there was a choice to make between a repair and eating, then . . . well hunger isn't always a bad thing."

"Duo," Cammi frowned. She had heard all of the tales of his life as a Gundam pilot, but they never ceased to shock her. Every citizen had had to deal and learn to live without most of life\'s little indulgences, but hearing what he had had to sacrifice just so ordinary people like her could entertain dreams and live like they did now always made her heart ache for his lost childhood, "You were only fifteen."

"Yeah," he shrugged it off as he always did, "It was war. We all did what we had to in our allotted roles. It could have been much worse. I've told you what happened to my friend Trowa, haven't I?"

"I don't remember," Cammi answered honestly.

"Well, Trowa basically allowed himself to get blown up to save the sanity of the man he had fallen in love with. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, he dealt with amnesia after that. And he still can't remember most anything before he was ten years old. But, he says he thinks that's from the beatings the mercenary band he was part of treated him to when he was young. Honestly, Cams, any of the other Gundam pilots had it a lot worse than me in the war. Wu Fei lost his wife and was forced to give up schooling. Quatre lost his father, three of his sisters, and almost his love. Heero was brain washed and beaten into the Perfect Soldier. You already heard about Trowa. Compared to any of them I had it real easy."

Not really, Cammi thought inwardly, knowing better than to argue with him about his pilot friends. Do any of them still have nightmares that seize them so hard that they can't breathe? Or stress-induced panic attacks that lead to flashbacks and worse? Do any of them carry the guilt of the deaths of a dozen children, a priest, and a nun? She knew that she was somewhat biased because of the way she cared for Duo, but it seemed to her, that while the others had been able to move past the war he never fully had, despite the smile he kept on his face.

"So," she turned to smile at him, holding the exhausted baby against his shoulder, "I am completely satisfied that you will have everything you need now to take care of a baby and a severely ill man. Just don't overexert yourself, Duo. And make sure to call for help if you need it. I'm not saying it'll happen, but if the bastard takes a turn for the worse and you end up needing to go to the hospital Fritz and I can baby-sit. Sheira's a joy and the boys would love her. Oh, I hope the twins are girls. There's only so much testosterone a woman can handle in one house."

Duo had been caught by just one phrase she had used. "You shouldn't call him a bastard, Cams. You don't even know him," he reasoned quietly, his tone soft with something she didn't understand.

"He hurts your heart. Therefore, I call him bastard," Cammi explained with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"I kinda put it out there to be trampled on myself, Cammi," Duo sighed, "It's my own fault it hurts. And just look at how well he took care of Sheira. That can't be all bastard, can it?"

"Those are the only reasons I call him bastard instead of fuckin' rat bastard," she replied pleasantly. Even Duo had to laugh.

"Thanks for all your help, Cams," Duo moved toward the rocking chair, as exhausted as the young charge in his arms. He laid her in the crib and sat, "Now go jump Fritz and tell him the good news."

"No problem, Duo, and I think I'll do just that," she smiled when she turned to see that he was already sleeping, slouched in the rocking chair, his chin on his chest, "I'll just show myself out."


	7. Chapter 7

All previous disclaimers apply.

Heero Yuy watched silently as his wife slept on quietly by his side, oblivious to his study of her. She was absolutely the most beautiful creature in the world as she lay peacefully, lost in her dreams. She lay on her stomach, her face to him, her hair spread out like an elaborate headdress. She hugged the pillow close to her body and her head rested on the sheeted mattress. He personally didn't see how she could possibly be comfortable as she was, but it seemed to be her favorite position in which to sleep. He had no complaints, however. The position allowed him to view the entire expanse of her bare backside, as the sheet rode dangerously low to reveal the small tribal tattoo on the small of her back he had been pleasantly surprised to discover their first intimate night together. The sunlight streaming in from the partially opened curtains hit the white of the sheets, seeming to cast an almost otherworldly glow about her, making her seem almost angelic in nature. He couldn't help but lean down over and place a small kiss to her temple. She sighed in her sleep and wrinkled her nose. He couldn't help but allow himself a small smile at the memories the action brought back.

The first night they'd been together . . . it had all seemed like a dream at the time. He'd been such a different person then. He knew that there was something about her that was different. Something that touched him in places he'd always though decimated by training. Just something about her -he couldn't quite name it- that made him want things he had never wanted before. Made him want to be gentle. Made him want to be shy. Made him want her, period. The first night they'd been together hadn't been planned. He had been close to her for nearly a year, watching over her, protecting her, never daring to touch her. The last two or three months he had seen that she was wearing herself ragged, not stopping for a rest, only getting two or three hours of sleep a night. He had seen it and had thought it not his place to question her about it, but had kept an ever watchful eye on her. She had managed to hide it from everyone else, even her closest friends with cleverly applied make-up, but he knew her better than anyone. He was not surprised when she had collapsed at a banquet, but he was ready, swooping her up in his arms before she could hit the ground and carrying her to her room.

"Hmm . . ." she had murmured, coming awake just after he had laid her down and was pressing a cool compress to her forehead and neck, "Where am I? What happened?"

"You collapsed," he had murmured quietly, trying to infuse a gentleness he wasn't sure he had into his voice, "I carried you up here to rest."

"Oh," she had began to sit up, "Oh, dear. I had better go make my apologies and finish the dinner."

He had pushed her back down, a hand set to her upper chest to keep her there, "I said I carried you up here to rest. You do too much, Relena. You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders all alone."

"Heero, I have a duty . . ." He hadn't known what had possessed him at that moment, but he leaned over and kissed her. When he had pulled back she had looked at him for a moment, shock on her face, then leaned closer to him and kissed him, pulling him onto the bed and on top of her. They had taken their time, learning about each other as they went. No words, just soft sighs and gentle looks. They had undressed each other slowly, savoring and worshiping each new thing they learned of each other's bodies. His scars, her tattoo, the way a kiss to the sensitive area just behind his ear could make him moan, the small mole just on her inner left thigh. When they finally did make love, it was slow and easy and their tumble over the final precipice of pleasure together was long and lasting.

They had fallen asleep in each other's arms, neither waking until the next morning when Kris had come in to check on Relena. Heero had woken as soon as she'd opened the door and peeked her head in the room. Her expression of surprise was quickly changed to one of delight when she saw who was in bed with Relena and the protective way his arms wrapped around her. She had smiled at him, nodded and whispered how she had cleared Relena's schedule for the rest of the week before leaving them. Heero had looked down then, at the vision in his arms, sleeping quietly. She had wrinkled her nose and sighed when he had placed a kiss to her temple, then a deeper kiss to her lips to encourage her to wake. Her smile as she woke and saw him had been the greatest gift he could ever receive.

"Come shower with me," he had invited.

"Yes," she had murmured.

"Wash my back."

"Yes."

"Marry me." The words had slipped out. He had been unable to stop them, as shocked by them as she looked. He had intended never to ask such a thing of her. He wasn't worthy of her. She was so great and pure. He was tainted, soiled by battle. He was going to be content watching her and protecting her. Even if it killed him, he was going to give her a smile on her wedding day when she finally fell in love with someone more worthy of her. As long as she was with him, he knew as an absolute certainty that he would ruin her life. Then, her answer had made all of his worries pointless.

"Yes. Today."

He couldn't argue with her now. Couldn't take it back. She looked so happy. And the fact that she looked so happy made him want to be with her. To do something that would, for once, make him happy as well. For a moment all he thought about was how he would feel after their marriage, not if he would end up hurting her or not. So, he had nodded, then stretched himself over her. They had made love with wild abandon, then again in the shower. Somewhere between the bed and leaving to find someone to marry them the twins had been conceived. She had put on a beautiful sun dress and they had sought out a preacher. They were married before the day was out and either one of them had any time to have any doubt at all. That was before it had all fallen apart.

Their marriage, as they expected, did not stay quiet for long. Just two hours after they had completed the ceremony Kris had called to tell them that reporters had flooded the hotel, waiting for them to return. He'd been more than a little nervous about facing it all, and had checked the gun tucked safely in the back of his pants more than once. A unplanned spur-of-the-moment press conference with a multitude of reporters pressing in all around them was almost a plea for an assassination attempt. Relena had kissed him, told him not to worry, that everything would be wonderful. In her happiness she had lost all fear, despite the fact that the attempts on her life had been increasing as of late. Even as they made love in the back of the limousine he couldn't fight the feeling that something was terribly wrong. It had grown in him until he could hardly breathe.

When they had finally stepped out of the limo he had kept his arm, protectively around her waist, drawing her close so that he could swing her behind him at any moment. As soon as the reporters had flooded out of the hotel Relena had stepped into action doing what she did best, smiling and answering questions, never giving away more than she wanted to and making the reporters believe they had gotten exactly what they wanted from her. She didn't notice the intense way her new husband surveyed the crowd, didn't notice how worried he was, so delighted was she in the close manner he was holding her and the sharing of their marriage with the world.

Heero's eyes darted back and forth, taking in all that surrounded them. The feeling had not left with the crowd and his beautiful wife's answers to their questions. They had only increased. Somewhere . . . somewhere. He hoped he was just being paranoid as he pulled her even closer, but the feeling was rising again. His worst fears were realized when he saw a flash of black behind one of the cameras, the barrel of a gun.

"Gun!" he had called out, simultaneously pushing Relena behind him and pulling his gun. He lost sight of the shooter for a moment in the panic of the reporters dashing away from the sight. When he saw him again it was too late. Five shots rang out. The first shot hit him like a brick. Had Relena still been where she had been it would have gone straight through her heart. As he was now in front of her, it hit him just below his sternum. Heero felt the second tear into his shoulder as he pushed his wife to the ground. The third blasted heat and pain into his abdomen. Still, he remained cover for his love. The fourth embedded itself his right thigh and he was forced to kneel. He kelt in front of her to keep her safe. The fifth shot slammed into his chest, just next to the first. He could see the terror in the shooter's eyes when he still had enough strength to hold his gun up and fire a single bullet that went right though the would be assassin\'s forehead.

"Heero?" Relena had whispered, looking up at him with horror. He managed to give her a small smile before losing all strength and falling backward onto the cement.

"No!" she had screamed, sitting up and taking him in her arms. He touched a hand to her face, trying to speak, but unable to get words out around his pain as his vision clouded and she rocked him. People had surrounded them, someone shouted for someone else to call an ambulance. He had only been able to concentrate on her face as she rocked him back and forth, back and forth, whispering again and again how much she loved him. He used all of his training for a situation in which you knew you were dying. How to slow it. Concentrate on one thing. He chose her voice. Assess your injuries. Heart, fine. Stomach and both lungs, hit. Muscle in shoulder and leg, not completely destroyed. Chance of survival, not good, even with all the training and close calls he'd had before. Nothing had ever hit him so directly before. Don't let the clouds take you. He tried to shake them from his mind, but the sound of the ocean was starting to cover her voice and he couldn't see her very well anymore.

"Please, hold on, my love. The ambulance will be here soon. Just hold on. You're the strongest person I know, my love. Don't give in now. I love you. I love you so much."

He touched her lips with his fingertips. He had one thing to say to her before he knew the clouds would take his mind, "I . . . love . . . you . . ." he forced around the pain, then let the clouds cover his mind and drag him into darkness. Her scream of loss was the last thing he heard.

He shook the memories from his mind. It had taken months of physical therapy and her encouragement, but he had healed. A complete recovery in less than a year. The doctors had been astounded. Relena had never told them that he was a former Gundam pilot, even when they made comments on how hard he had fought to stay alive on the operating table, defying all odds. She had been able to take him home after three months and had taken a leave of absence from her position until he was fully back on his feet. By the time he was able to walk, with a painful limp, she was just beginning to show her pregnancy.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he had whispered, as he walked into the kitchen one morning to see her bathed in the early light, curled into a chair, her hand set to the growing within her body.

"I wanted to wait until you were better," she murmured, looking at him from across the room, "You still have such horrible nightmares . . . I didn't want to give you anything else to be worried about."

He had limped to her, knelt painfully in front of her chair, kissed the life they had created together, and laid his head in her lap, "I love you, Relena Darlian-Yuy."

"And I you, Heero Yuy. You're not angry with me?"

"No. When?"

"Four months from now. Then, we'll be able to hold them."

"Them?"

"Twins."

"I love you." he had repeated, and she had laughed.

Three and a half months later at a gathering of all the pilots at his and Relena's home, she had given birth to their children. He could still picture the day perfectly.


	8. Chapter 8

All previous disclaimers apply.

"Relena, sweetheart," Hilde, Duo's "date" for the day had leaned over the table and set a hand to Relena's, seeing the look of discomfort on her face as they had all sat down outside to eat, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Relena had attempted a smile, the hand on her nicely rounded stomach, rubbing in slow circles, "Yes, we're fine."

"How far apart?"

"Oh, still about ten minutes and not very hard yet. We have a little while yet. Enough time to finish dinner, I'll bet. It's a wonderful day for it, wouldn't you agree?"

"Sure is." Hilde had sat back, satisfied, and continued to eat.

"It's nice that we'll all be together," Sally, who had come with Wu Fei, had said, just as calmly as the other two women, "That way we won't be all worn out from travel when we get to see them." Quatre had nodded in agreement while he was feeding the two-year-old sitting in his new husband's lap.

"Not too much pain?" he questioned.

"A little," Relena answered, "Mostly just discomfort."

"Good."

The other men had been listening, confused, the whole time. They dismissed the conversation and kept eating until Relena gave a sharp little cry almost five minutes later. They all watched her with rapt attention as her face displayed her discomfort.

"Now that was hard!" she cried breathlessly relaxing, "And too soon."

"Okay," Hilde had stood, "Let's go."

"What's going on?" Heero had demanded, his arm around his wife's shoulders.

"Isn't it obvious?" Quatre questioned. The other men just looked at him. He sighed and rolled his eyes, "Relena's in labor. Has been since a little before three." His eyes widened when Heero, Duo, Wu Fei, and Trowa stood suddenly, knocking over their chairs in the process, "What? You guys seriously didn't know? I thought it was kind of obvious."

"Obvious or not," Relena gasped, "This is really starting to hurt and I'd rather not give birth in the backyard." Heero was no help at all as he continued to stare stupidly at his wife, gripping the edge of the table until her knuckles were white and trying to practice the breathing exercises she had been taught, small noises of pain coming from her mouth as she exhaled. Sally rolled her eyes at the shocked men and stood, moving to Relena and gently taking her elbows to help her up. Relena cried out harshly and doubled over as she stood.

"Too fast," she said tensely, "It's all happening too fast. What's going on, Sally? Are my babies okay?"

"I'm sure they're fine, Relena," the former military doctor assured the young woman, her voice low and comforting, "They're probably just eager to be born, that's all. You know, you really should have told us you were in labor sooner, sweetheart. Quatre noticed when it began, but I only noticed about an hour ago. The different stages of labor take different amounts of time, you know. And often the time of one of the stages can be completely separate from the others. You can never depend on one stage to tell you how long the other stages are going to take."

"Sally," Relena panted, "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm trying to say, Relena, that judging by how quickly your contractions are coming, you're going to be giving birth right here."

"What?" the statement finally shocked the men out of their stupor. Heero automatically swooped his wife into his arms, she put her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck, "Sally, she can't have the babies here. Tell her she can't have the babies here."

"I'll have the babies where ever I damn well please!" Relena roared with new pain, pushing away from his chest, "Bastard! You did this to me and you think you can tell me where I can have my babies? Put me down! Put me down right now! I don't want to have anything to do with you." Despite her pain and girth, she began to struggle in his arms. The added strain on his bad leg caused him to wince and he was forced to place her on her feet before the meager strength from his healing muscles gave out. She began to walk awkwardly toward the house, leaving them all gaping after her, until another strong contraction hit her and she doubled over again. Heero moved to help her, but she pushed his away, shouting at him in what they thought was at least six different languages.

"Good insult," Wu Fei smirked in admiration when she screamed something in Chinese, "Very creative." Duo snorted his laughter. Hilde just looked at him and shook her head. Trowa handed Briseis over to his husband and moved to Heero and Relena, taking the distressed pregnant woman in his arms.

"It's all right, lamb," he murmured, placing a kiss to her temple and surprising them all. He began to move toward the house, "It's all going to be okay. I know it hurts, lamb, but there's really no reason to call your husband a bastard is there?"

"I suppose not," Relena sniffled, laying her head on his shoulder. She reached out and took her husband's hand as they moved toward the house. A second later, she squeezed it with the pain of her contraction and he winced, grateful, however, that there were no more strings of curses in other languages.

"Wait . . ." Duo stared after them, blinking, "I'm confused. Since when did Trowa get so good with pregnant women?"

"Since he was there when his sister had her baby," Quatre smiled, "That was in a hospital, but still, his calming influence can't be changed despite the situation."

"Which could be better," Sally interrupted, "I'm glad you were all Gundam pilots and trained to be calm under the worst situations and all. But, unless I'm mistaken Relena is going to be giving birth at any time. We're too far out, there isn't enough time to get her to a hospital. So, we'll have to do it."

"Do it?" Duo gulped, "You mean as in, deliver the babies?"

"Yes, Duo, I mean delivering the babies. What did you think I meant?" They had all been moving briskly toward the house, but Duo suddenly stopped short, his face white. He began to sway dangerously.

"Duo, you pass out now and I'm going to have to kill you," Sally rolled her eyes as Wu Fei caught him, wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him.

"I can't help with babies," he mumbled to Wu Fei as they walked behind the others, Duo still a little shaky, "Battlefield dressings, sure. Setting broken bones, no problem. But babies? What if I do something wrong?"

"You won't," Wu Fei surprised himself by nuzzling Duo's neck, "Sally will tell us all what to do." As if on an unspoken agreement, Duo did not mention the fact that Wu Fei had just nuzzled him and Wu Fei ignored the way the Duo seemed bolstered by the small touch. By the time they got to the house and up to Heero and Relena's room, Sally had organized them into a small army, everyone with a task. Heero was sitting behind Relena on the bed, supporting her and allowing her to squeeze his hands. Trowa had disappeared to gather towels. Hilde had been ordered to the kitchen to boil water, Quatre followed soon after to get Relena ice to suck on. As soon as Sally looked up at them and raised an eyebrow in question they pulled away, aware that they hadn't taken their arms from each other's waists. Sally just smiled.

"Okay, Wu Fei, I need you to build a fire in the fireplace. I know its a warm evening, but it's going to need to be warmer in here. Duo, I need you to find me a good pair of scissors, sterilize them. And find me some yarn, too."

"Yeah, yeah, okay." Duo had obeyed, quickly leaving the room, feeling queasy seeing Sally kneeling between Relena's legs, "Keep it together, man," he ordered himself.

Twenty minutes later, they had gathered in the room, all offering their support. Quatre sat on the side of the bed, dabbing Relena's head with a towel. Briseis had surprised them all. She was incredibly astute for a two year-old and seemed to sense that what was happening was important. She sat on Hilde's lap quietly, watching. Trowa and Sally were at the foot of the bed. Duo had busied himself taking over the care of the fire so that Wu Fei could move to the opposite side of the bed from Quatre. Heero gladly accepted when he offered to let Relena use one of his hands instead of both of her husbands. Now Heero had his freed hand wrapped around Relena's shoulder and she squeezed Wu Fei's. Duo snickered a little at the white, pained look on Wu Fei's face.

"Okay, sweetheart," Sally looked up at Relena, "The first baby is crowning. Can you push for me now?"

Relena had screamed with the pain and effort, but bared down with all her might. Heero had held her close, whispering things he didn't feel comfortable quite yet saying aloud with their friends in the room. How much he loved her, how beautiful he thought she was, how strong, how proud he was of her. As the contraction had ended she had fallen against his chest, panting and he had continued to whisper. Sally was at the end of the bed, concentrating on turning the baby over when the next contraction hit. Relena had pushed again and Sally had been surprised when the baby had shot out into her waiting hands. She had nodded to Trowa and they had traded places.

"It's a boy," Sally had announced as she cleaned the crying infant, "He's a bit on the small side, but that's to be expected with twins. Other than that he looks absolutely beautiful and strong, my dears. And has he got a set of lungs!"

"Name him," Relena had panted at her husband.

"Cole," Heero announced, knowing that it was the name she had been most fond of when looking over names for boys. She nodded in agreement and pushed once more when Trowa told her the second baby was crowning. He was surprised when the baby came out into his hands with no problems at all. The birth of the two children seemed to be amazingly easy on both mother and infants, as of the Fates were making up for the fact that the conditions were so primitive.

"It's a girl," Trowa announced.

"Aurora," Relena whispered, just before going slack in Heero's arms.

Heero had looked at Sally, Panic in his eyes. She had laughed.

"She's fine, Heero. She's exhausted. Giving birth is hard enough work without delivering two children without pain medication. I imagine she'll wake soon."

"And the babies?"

"They both look perfectly fine. Would you like to hold them?"

Heero's face had become indescribable at the idea. He hadn't known what to say and couldn't have found his voice even if he did. He simply nodded, and slipped out of the bed, trading places with Hilde, who sat behind Relena to support her. Briseis had gone to her father when the excitement had ended and was sleeping peacefully on Quatre's shoulder by that point. He still couldn't describe what it had felt like to hold his children in his arms for the first time. It had been the most amazing, incredible, unbelievable sensation, to know that he had created the life he now held in his arms. His eyes had filled with unfamiliar tears as he looked down on his little boy and his little girl, wrapped in soft blankets and looking at him expectantly. He sat next to his wife on the bed as she awoke and placed Cole in her arms gently. Relena had allowed Hilde to help her support him.

"Beautiful," Relena had whispered, looking at both of them, "Beautiful babies. Hello. I'm your mama. I've been waiting for you."

Heero pulled himself out of the memories and gazed once more down at his wife. She had been amazing. She was amazing still. Heero had been everlastingly grateful to Sally for that day. There was no doubt in his mind that things could have gone horribly wrong had she not been there. He had always felt that it was due to her he still had a reason to live. Three. His wife, and his babies. He mourned her death greatly.

"Umm," Relena sighed, coming out of sleep. She opened her eyes, let them focus, "Hi."

"Hi," he whispered, leaning down and pressing his mouth to hers for a chaste kiss, "What do you want to do today?"

"The twins are at Mother's," she smiled, remembering.

"Until tomorrow," he reminded her, smiling.

"Hmm," she thought, then looked up at him with a mischievous smile on her angelic face, "Come shower with me."

"Yes," he responded with a kiss to her temple.

"Wash my back," she murmured seductively, sitting up.

"Yes," his breath caught in his throat.

"Marry me." Her eyes were warm with remembrance.

"Already did that." He pushed her against the headboard and kissed her deeply, making her sigh.

"Make a baby with me," she whispered against his mouth.

"Did that, too. Three times." He rubbed a hand over her bare abdomen where their third child continued to grow. They had been having such a hard time conceiving again for so long, that just the thought of their child within her filled him with joy that he couldn't describe.

"Oh yeah," she sighed again, this time in resignation, "Well, then. I guess we'll just have to settle for hot sex all the boring day long."

Her laugh rang out like silver bells when he growled and pinned her to the bed, "Guess so."


	9. Chapter 9

All previous disclaimers apply

"Damn phone!" Heero growled in much a different manner hours later as he and Relena sat in the kitchen, feeding each other dinner in their robes.

"Answer it," Relena just smiled, her voice the soft purr she used whenever she wanted to seduce him, "I'll be waiting in the shower."

"Yeah," he smiled in return as he watched his wife slip from the room, dropping her robe just inside the door frame and sending him a hungry glance just before leaving his sight. He groaned, stood, and crossed the kitchen to the video phone.

"Okay, what time is it on Earth?" Quatre's pleasant features lit with a amusement as soon as he saw Heero answer the phone in his robe.

"Six," Heero answered.

"And you're still not dressed?" Quatre questioned, feigning innocence but lifting his eyebrows and flashing a smile that looked more like a smirk.

"Day off," Heero smirked in return and emphasized it with a well satisfied sigh, "The twins are with Relena's mother."

"Ah, understood. I won't keep you long. Let me guess, Relena's in the shower?" The feral gleam in Heero's eyes made Quatre laugh just before he became serious again. Heero felt a slight tinge of worry travel up his spine at the look on Quatre's face. His words, however, canceled out the worry, "I just thought that you might want to know that Duo called us at three o'clock this morning. Woke up the baby. But, that's beside the point. Anyway, Wu Fei showed up at his place last night. Sheira's with him. Duo says the baby's just fine, but Wu Fei is really sick. From how Duo described his condition, it really sounded as if Wu Fei should be going to a hospital. Duo said he refused to go to the hospital. Not that I don't understand. Wu Fei's been so wary of hospitals of any kind since Sally . . . Duo says he'll take care of him."

"Good." Heero nodded in approval, "Duo will be able to take care of him. He knows when he's out of his league. If he ever feels that Wu Fei's life is really in danger they'll be at the hospital before Wu Fei even knows what's hit him. Thanks for letting me know."

"One more thing." The worry crept up Heero's back again at Quatre's tone.

"What's that?"

"Duo's still in love with him."

"Damn." Heero winced. Duo had been his best friend for a very, very long time. He knew all about the love the American had for the strong Chinese man. He knew how much it hurt the American. So, Quatre knew Duo was in love Wu Fei. That would mean that Trowa knew Duo was in love with Wu Fei. Heero himself knew Duo was in love with Wu Fei. It seemed the only person who didn't know Duo was in love with Wu Fei was Wu Fei.

"Yeah. I don't understand it, either. If Wu Fei would just open up to him, even a little. They could make such a great match. They compliment each other so well. But, Duo won't admit it for fear and Wu Fei is so stubborn and set in his beliefs. I worry for Duo, Heero. He's had so much pain in his life already."

"He doesn't deserve to have his heart broken over Wu Fei." Heero summarized.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Do you think he will?" At times like these they all depended on the strong empathic link that Quatre shared with his fellow pilots.

"You know that the longer Wu Fei stays with Duo the stronger these feelings are going to get. He'll try to hide them, but he won't be able to forever. One day he's going to accidentally let it slip. And I . . . judging from the feelings I get off of him when he speaks about Wu Fei, the only thing Duo will be able to do if Wu Fei hurts him is break his heart over him."

"Damn," Heero whispered.

"Yes, I just hope he'll be strong enough to pick up the pieces and move on if Wu Fei does reject him."

"Me, too, Quatre."

"But, for right now, he's fine. He's standing up to everything very well at the moment. So, don't worry quite yet. Better go join Relena in the shower or she'll be water logged by the time you get there. Have a nice night, Heero."

"You too, Quatre." They terminated contact at the same time and Heero climbed the stairs, thinking deeply on what Quatre had said. He didn't want Duo to be hurt. No one deserved to be hurt like that twice in a lifetime. Guilt seized him again as it did occasionally when he thought of Duo.

"Finally," Relena's voice was low and seductive as he opened the door to the bathroom to find it already steamed, "I thought you'd never get here." She pulled aside the curtain just enough to give him tantalizing hints of her body. Seeing his face, she almost faltered, but knew exactly what he needed and didn't, "Now . . . forget whatever you're thinking about, get naked, and get in here before I have to drag you in."

Heero smiled and did just that.


	10. Chapter 10

All previous disclaimers apply.

"And then, the beautiful princess and the handsome prince were married. Their reign was long and prosperous and they lived happily ever after to the end of their days." Duo closed the storybook he had been reading from and sighed happily to discover Sheira sleeping soundly in his arms. She had been fussy ever since she woke from her nap, refusing dinner, glaring at him when he tried to bathe her, kicking when he tried to changer her diaper. He knew why she was behaving as she did. She missed her daddy. But, Duo couldn't let her see him. The logic behind keeping her away from him, however, was lost on a baby and she continued to fuss. Oh well, Duo thought, he'd rather have a fussy baby than a sick baby any day. He laid her carefully in the crib, turned on the small bedside lamp that projected the image of fairies onto the walls and flipped off the larger light. He left the door open so that he could hear her if she cried, hoping that she would make even the smallest noise.

He sighed and dragged a hand over his face, tired beyond tired and knowing that he couldn't sleep quite yet. He still had to care for Wu Fei before he was allowed to get any rest. He walked into his room to see Wu Fei tossing and turning in the bed with fevered dreams. His bronzed skin was covered in a thick sheen of sweat and his cough was almost continuous. Duo sat quietly in the chair he had moved in from the dining room and soaked a washcloth in the cool water he had left to sit by the bed. Wu Fei moaned as the cloth was set to his warm forehead and sighed when Duo began to gently dab around his face and his neck. Duo took the other man's temperature, almost hoping that it would be one-hundred and four so that he could take Wu Fei to the hospital. But, no such luck. The temperature readout revealed one-hundred and three. Duo winced at the sound of the deep cough in Wu Fei's chest, but didn't know what else to do for him beside make him rest. He could try cough serums, but chances were that they'd wear off too quickly. Beside, he didn't want to have to wake Wu Fei to take one. He desperately needed the rest that his illness had forced upon him and Duo didn't want to take the chance that he wouldn't be able to fall back to sleep once woken.

"Wu Fei," he murmured, leaning over and indulging in a kiss to Wu Fei's temple, "Why did you let yourself get so bad? You could have come to me. I thought you knew that. I never would have turned you away. You or Sheira. I could have mourned with you. You didn't need to be alone. But, you're always alone, aren't you? The solitary dragon. You could have come to me. I'm here, Wu Fei. I'm right here. I've always been here. Waiting. Just waiting. I'm still waiting. If I have to, I'll wait for the rest of my life. Because to me . . . you're worth it.


	11. Chapter 11

All previous disclaimers apply.

He was floating. Somewhere between sleep and something he couldn't quite call wakefulness. It was a strange sensation for one who had always been so in control of his body. He couldn't seem to put himself further under to achieve the former, nor could he force himself back into the latter. He remained as he was, aware of what was happening around him, but detached from all of it. He wasn't even sure that he'd be able to rouse enough interest to really care what was going on in any case. Off and on someone spoke to him. It was an oddly comforting voice, a smooth baritone that called to the very center of his being. Someone he knew, he realized when he bothered to think about it at all, someone he cared for. Someone who, more importantly, cared, and was caring, for him. It didn't really matter what the voice said. He was merely content to drift in the space between dream and reality and listen to the rise and fall of the pitch, concentrating more on the pleasant feelings the tone brought than what the words might reveal to him.

Occasionally, he felt his body lifted in strong arms. Sometimes a second voice joined the first. He identified it as his own in one of his more aware moments, but he didn't understand even what he was saying. Seeing as the pleasant voice never really replied, he assumed it was always something unintelligible and unimportant. Sometimes when the strong arms carried him he was placed in water so cold that it felt as if it would freeze him straight to the marrow of his bones. He was aware enough to work up the tiniest amount of disgust for himself at these times because he knew that his physical form whimpered at the cold. He knew because every time he was placed in the cold water the beautiful voice was right with him. And the tone was always comforting. He took what comfort that was offered, leaning into the warmth of the strong arm wrapped around his shoulder, holding him, preventing his death by drowning. He wasn't even aware enough to be ashamed at the fact that someone else was washing him. He just concentrated on the voice and the strong arm around his shoulder, knowing in the back of his fever clouded mind that both came from someone he cared for.

Sometimes he heard the voice raised in song. Never in the room. Never right next to him. It was always far away, separated by walls. Singing. Soft lullabies. Lullabies meant for a baby. His baby. The voice was singing to his baby. His Sheira angel. Every time heard the singing he was grateful to the voice for taking care of his baby just as he himself was being taken care of. Always the lullabies put him into a trace of pleasant dreams. Cool dreams that allowed him to mercifully escape the heat of his body . . . and his mind.

Ride a cock horse to Banbury CrossTo see a fine lady upon a white horse With rings on her fingers and bells on her toesShe shall have music where ever she goes

Nursery rhymes. Calming rhymes.

In darkest hour of darkest night, I will be hereWhen flowers bloom in morning light, I will be hereI will be here, my loveI will be here

Promises made in music.

Wee Croo Din Doo, and where are you?Wee Croo Din Doe, did you have to go?Wee Croo Din Dee, far across the sea.I pray that you'll return to me

Sadness in the voice that couldn't be explained.

Always when the songs ended he came out of his cool dreams, but the comforting voice was always right there next to him. He found pleasure and comfort when his hand was held gently and a cool cloth was set to his burning forehead.

Duo. At his best moments, he recognized that the voice, the arm, the hand holding his, they were always Duo. Duo Maxwell, his friend from the war. Yes. Duo. Duo would take care of him. Duo would take care of Sheira.

And whenever he recognized this, whenever he knew the voice was Duo's, when he realized Duo was watching over him and his Sheira angel, he fell into a deep, comforting, healing sleep with no trouble.


	12. Chapter 12

All previous disclaimers apply.

"Sheira, please," Duo was on his hands and knees in front of the baby girl, at the moment rubbing her eyes with her tiny fists as tears fell silently from them. Duo was beginning to think that if she didn't stop soon he would start crying, too. For week and a half that felt more like a month and a half neither of them had gotten nearly as much sleep as they needed. Sheira had been fussy with her want of Wu Fei, but Duo knew that it wasn't safe. But, how could he explain it to an infant? He was fine for most of the time, like when he rocked her in the chair or gave her her meals, but he just couldn't change how much she wanted her daddy. So now, instead of screaming like any other baby, she just sat in the middle of the living room floor, crying silently and rubbing her eyes to let him know just how tired she was. He was beginning to think that he would have preferred the screaming, because her tears were killing him with guilt.

"Baby, c'mon," he tried to work up the energy for a smile for her, "You gotta sleep sometime, right, Sweetheart? You're only making both of us feel bad. C'mon, Sweetheart." He held his breath when she looked up at him momentarily, then moaned when she just laid down on the blanket he'd laid on the floor and continued to look up at him, tears coming faster and harder so that she was working herself into a good case of hiccups.

"Oh, baby," he murmured, picking her up. She buried her face in his neck and continued to hiccup, "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I know you want to see Daddy. I want you to be able to see him, too. But, you just can't right now. Please don't be mad at me, baby. Please, my Sweetheart?" She just continued to cry silently on his neck as he stood and walked back and forth across the room. Back and forth, back and forth, hoping that the constant motion would somehow lull her to sleep. Nothing was working. She just wouldn't sleep and he knew that it couldn't be healthy for her. He had just about decided to call Cammi and ask her what to do, when the doorbell rang.

He shifted her gently as he walked down the hall so that she was laying her head on his shoulder and not his neck and opened the door. Relief flooded him. He felt his knees go weak with it and hand to grab onto the doorknob to steady himself a little.

"I love you," he said earnestly, "I adore you. Leave your husband and run away with me to Bora Bora. We'll change our names, get tans, and have wild sex on the beach every day."

"Oh, Duo," Relena smiled as she stepped into the foyer and out of her shoes, "That sounds great, except that tans are bad for your skin, and if we had wild sex on the beach I would get sand in the most uncomfortable places."

"And you couldn't stand to leave your husband and children?" He lifted an eyebrow in play as he closed the door.

"That, too," she set a hand to his cheek and kissed him briefly, "How are you holding up, Sweetie?"

"She hates me," Duo sighed, "She really hates me. She doesn't make any noise to begin with. She just sits there and looks at me with those dark eyes and the tears just fall and they never stop and she's breaking my heart, Lena, and neither of us have really slept and I don't know how much longer I can take this and . . ."

"Sweetie, breathe." Relena tried to keep a sympathetic look on her face, but couldn't help but laugh just a little, he was so dear when he was frazzled. And he was only frazzled because, he might not know it yet but, he had begun to think of Sheira as his little girl and it hurt his heart when she was unhappy, "Why don't you leave her to me for a little bit and go take a nap?"

"Relena," Duo ran a hand over his face, "I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to put you out or anything. I mean, you've worked all day already."

"A half day. At a desk. It's only noon, Duo," Relena smiled, "I haven't had babies around for a while, but I still remember how much more work it was than even running a planet. And I had Heero and my mother there to help me. Now, you're taking care of a very ill man and a baby? Honey, everyone needs a rest sometime. Go take a nap. I'll be just fine."

"But, what about Heero and the kids?"

"They're in the colonies spending some time with Quatre and Trowa and the kids. I couldn't take any more time off of work, but I wasn't needed for the rest of the day either, so I thought I'd drop by and give you a hand. I hate going home to an empty house where no one needs me for homework or scraped knees or kisses before bed. Don't make me feel useless, Duo. I won't take kindly to it."

"Braver men than me have crumbled under that tone of voice," he sighed and handed the sniffling baby over to Relena. Sheira looked up at the new person holding her and snuggled right into Relena's arms, closing her eyes.

"There now," Relena nuzzled Sheira's cheek gently, "Isn't she just beautiful? Such a sweet baby girl."

"How do you do that?" Duo scratched his head in wonder.

"Sometimes it just takes a woman's touch," Relena murmured, "She probably won't remember Sally at all. She's much too young. After a bit more time she'll probably forget her completely. But, for right now, a woman smells different, holds her different, kisses her different. She remembers that much and relates me to her mother. How's Wu Fei?"

"A bit better. His cough isn't sounding as deep and his temperature is hovering just over a hundred. Speaking of, I need to put another glass of water by the bed. He needs to keep hydrated."

"Sleep, Duo," Relena commanded, "This little one is down for the count. She probably won't wake for a while. I can take care of everything for a bit. Let me."

"Okay." Duo finally gave in completely to his exhaustion when his vision blurred momentarily, "Thanks, Lena. A lot."

"My pleasure," she smiled and reached out to push him toward the living room, "Sleep."

"Yes, Mother."


	13. Chapter 13

All previous disclaimers apply.

Duo allowed himself to come up out of his dreams slowly, naturally, though his training had taught him how to come awake in a moment. He smiled and sighed, stretching, when he was completely awake. He felt refreshed and ready to take on the world, certainly ready to take on his fussy, sweet, silent baby.

Whoa, whoa, wait a minute, Maxwell. Duo shook his head one more time, waking up completely, Sheira is not your baby. Sheira is Wu Fei's baby. But, I sure wouldn't mind the job. Duo growled at himself just a little when the far corner of his mind that he usually kept hidden even from himself, the wishful part, the part that hurt the most when it was let down, made it's presence known. Sheira was not his baby, but, God, he wanted her to be. Just like he wanted Wu Fei to be his husband. Stop it! He scolded himself. The higher you reach the harder you fall.

But, only those who reach for the stars ever get to them, his betraying mind reminded him. He shook his head of the thoughts and followed his stomach into the kitchen when he smelled something heavenly. He did a double take when he saw the clock on the stove. Nearly seven o'clock. He had been tired. And he still felt like he could go to sleep in a couple of hours and not wake up until ten. There was a pot of something simmering on the stove and he opened it to reveal a red sauce that made his mouth water. Lena's red sauce always made his mouth water. Oh, no. Lena. He'd only meant to sleep for a couple of hours, but now he had taken most of her day. He walked quickly out of the kitchen, but didn't call for her as he searched, just in case Sheira was still sleeping. Or Wu Fei. He paused at the bathroom door and leaned against the door frame, smiling. He couldn't help it. It was all too cute.

Relena was leaning over the side of the bath, stripped down to her bra and skirt, washing Sheira gently as the baby splashed and smiled at her. She was singing quietly, a sad lullaby that Duo recognized from an ancient video that told the story of Moses. A beautiful melody. One that had lasted hundreds of years to become something that every mother sang to her babies.

"Hey, sexy," he called. Relena turned her head and smiled at him.

"Hey, sexy," she responded, "You look rested. I'm glad."

"Sorry we took so much of your time, today, Lena."

She waved, dismissing the comment, "It was my pleasure, Duo. I'd forgotten how much I love having babies around. I can't wait for this little one." He smiled as she set a hand to her nearly flat belly gently. If Duo remembered correctly, she wouldn't even start to show for another couple of weeks, maybe a month. He said she was lucky like that. She said, she loved every little thing that reminded her that she was pregnant, even gaining weight.

"How you feeling?" he asked.

"Good," she answered, "Great actually, though in a month I'll probably answer 'tired'. After my fourth month I seem to get a little tired all the time. I mean, I only have one other pregnancy to go off of, but this one has been very similar."

"You made red sauce."

"I was wondering when you were going to bring that up. Yes, I did. I know how you love my red sauce. I made enough so that you can freeze some of it. It'll reheat pretty well. I also made you a couple of casseroles. They're in the freezer. And I left you a simple recipe for chicken soup on the counter and separated everything you need for it to the left hand side of the second shelf in your refrigerator. Wu Fei seemed pretty aware to me today and his fever's hovering right around ninety-nine. I still think he needs a doctor for that cough, but he's got some color and he was able to talk with me for a little while. I think in the next couple of days he's going to need more than water, Jell-O, and saltines. You've taken very good care of him, Duo. He wanted me to tell you that he's grateful, just in case he forgot. Oh, and I did the laundry."

Duo's breath had hitched when she had been speaking of Wu Fei, but his mind was caught on her last statement. He entered the bathroom, got to one knee and took her free hand while Sheira watched curiously, "Dear lady of my heart, I cannot live without you. Run away with me where no one can ever find us!"

She laughed and swatted him away, "Haven't we already been through this? I love my husband and my children and hate sand in my ass, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," he sighed, "I guess I'll just say thanks, then."

"You're welcome," she smiled, then looked down at Sheira, "Looks like she wants someone." Duo's heart jumped into his throat when he looked down and saw that Sheira was reaching for him. He smiled, grabbed her baby towel from Relena, laid it on the floor, then grabbed her out of the bath and laid her on the towel.

"Who's the prettiest girl in the galaxy?" he murmured quietly as he began to dry her off and Relena pulled her shirt back on, "You are. Yes, you are. My Sheira is the prettiest girl in the galaxy. And now she's all nice and clean, and such a sweet girl. How long did she sleep?"

At first Relena didn't respond to the question because he had used the same tone of voice that he used when he was asking Sheira questions, but it finally registered when he looked up at her expectantly, "Oh, nearly as long as you did. She might stay up a little later tonight, but it shouldn't be too much longer. See, she's already getting a little tired. I've already fed her, but I say we eat something and then see what happens from there. I'll go put some noodles on. Why don't you get her into some pajamas?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," he agreed, cradled Sheira in his arms, and got to his feet. He touched Relena's shoulder when she was about to leave the bathroom, "Do you . . . think she'll ever make any noises again? Wu Fei said she used to."

"Well, babies can feel trauma and grief just as deeply as we can. She's just a very little person. She probably didn't understand that Sally had died, but she did know that she didn't come back. And she probably didn't understand that Wu Fei was grieving, but she did know that he was acting strangely. She dealt with her trauma and loss the only way she could. Everything around her was changing, so she did something to change herself, I suppose. I'm sure she'll speak again some day. She just needs to feel that things are, well, normal again, I guess. I don't think it will be too long. Like I said, soon she won't even remember Sally. So, as long as nothing changes for a while, being with you here will probably become normal and she'll begin to coo and babble and giggle and all that fun stuff."

"How do you know so much about babies, Relena?"

"I have a couple of my own. But, that's just my guess, Duo. I'm no expert by any means."

"I think maybe every mother is an expert in her own way."

"Charmer. Go get her dressed. Dinner will be ready when you get into the kitchen. Then, I'm going to have to head home."

"Thanks for everything today, Lena."

"How many times do I have to tell you it's no problem?"

"At least three more."

"Okay. Heero has a little bit more time off when he and the kids get back from the colonies. He wanted me to tell you that he wants to watch Sheira for a bit at least one day. He says it's because he wants Cole and Aurora to know what it's going to be like when the baby is born and they're not the center of attention all the time anymore. But, I really think that it's just because he misses having a baby around as much as I do. Under all that tough guy exterior he's just got a soft, gooey heart."

"Yeah," Duo laughed, "Who'd have thought? Did he say how Quatre and Trowa are doing. I talked to them last week, but only for a few minutes. It was three o'clock in the morning for them."

"With the new baby? Duo, you're just cruel."

"I didn't mean to," he whined, "I forgot about the whole time difference thing and the new baby and all that. I apologized."

She smiled, "He did actually say something about them and I think that those men are both nuts."

"Why's that?"

"They're already talking about another baby. Another little girl. They said that if they do end up adopting again they're going to wait until Jayden's a couple of years old. But, you know those two, no one has a much love to give to children as them. I don't think they'll last a year before they start the process for another little girl. I actually talked to Quatre for a bit yesterday. He has this look in his eyes. He was almost glowing. He really wants another girl. And somehow, I think that another little girl would complete their family."

"Yeah," Duo agreed, nodding, "Two girls, three boys. Didn't he say something about that when we were younger?"

"You know what? I think I remember that, too. Well, whoever she is, whether she's been born or not, she's couldn't go to a better home."

"They were really cut out to be fathers, weren't they?" He asked, shaking his head as he followed her out of the bathroom. She watched him walk down the hall, cooing and murmuring to Sheira as he took her to her nursery.

"Yes," she whispered, her heart hurting a little from both happiness and sadness at the same time, "They were. But, so are you."


	14. Chapter 14

All previous disclaimers apply.

It was quiet. For the first time in what had to have been days, Wu Fei awoke completely aware. He took a moment before opening his eyes, knowing that the light he could feel shining through his lids would probably be painful. His head hurt enough as it was. It felt like it took him forever just to move his hand to his own forehead. He was cool, normal, not sweating. The fever had broken. That was a good thing. But, he felt so weak, and couldn't help it when the cough tore apart his chest. It didn't feel as deep any longer, but it hurt more. That was good, too. The illness that had settled in his chest was finally breaking up. How had he allowed himself to get so ill? He wondered idly as he tried to work up the energy to open his eyes. He had always taken such good care of his body.

But, when Sally had . . . No. He didn't want to think about Sally. She was dead. Death was the end of all things, there was no purpose in thinking about her now. But, it hurt. The fact that she was gone did not change how much it hurt that she was gone. She had been the best friend he had ever had. And so, when he found her laying on the bathroom floor of the small apartment they shared out of convenience he had done the only thing he been able to do.

"Wu Fei?" Wu Fei opened his eyes as Duo's voice permeated his thoughts, "Good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?"

"Weak," he answered, closing his eyes when it hurt his throat so to speak.

"To be expected. You've been sleeping almost constantly for almost three weeks. Your fever finally broke late last night. But, I'm sure you realized that. Relena was here a couple of days ago. Do you remember that?"

"Yes." Wu Fei smiled at the memory of the woman he had once thought weak now one of the women he admired most, taking care of him, "She brushed my hair."

"So she said. She left us a recipe for chicken soup and I made some this morning. It's not bad. I'm sure hers would have been much better, but it tastes okay, all in all. Think you could keep it down?"

"I think so," he answered.

"Good. Be right back."

"Maxwell," Wu Fei called out as Duo was at the door, "We weren't in love, you know."

"Who?" Duo asked, confused.

"Sally and I. We weren't in love. I just thought. With you taking such good care of Sheira . . . you ought to know the circumstances behind her birth." The reason sounded hollow, even to himself, but somehow Wu Fei could not admit at all the real reason he needed Duo to know the circumstances behind Sheira's birth.

"Okay, Wu Fei," Duo sat back down in the chair, "So tell me about Sheira's birth."

Wu Fei closed his eyes for a moment, lost himself in the memories, and began.

"Sally?" She had been in the bathroom for hours, since they had gotten home from their latest mission. He had heard the shower start, waited for her shower to end so that he could grab one himself. She was usually so considerate when they got back from a mission. Something had to be wrong.

They had decided to get an apartment together six months into their partnership. It just seemed so much more convenient. Neither of them had to pay as much, they enjoyed each other's company, and they always knew where the other was when an emergency call came through. They had been living together for nearly eight years and everyone assumed that they must be romantically involved. They weren't. They never had been, aside from a few desperate encounters when neither of them had anywhere else to turn. Those were mutually beneficial times in which they would take physical satisfaction from each other and it would mean nothing in the morning. It never had and the times it had happened they could count on less than five fingers. Only their closest friends knew that neither was in love, but that they just got along so well and splitting the rent was so easy, that they had never really considered moving away from each other. They assumed it would change when one of them fell in love, but neither had been planning such a thing anyway. Wu Fei, he had never found any one other than one he knew he could never have to tempt his heart, and Sally, when her lover had died at the tender age of sixteen, she had sworn that she would never love again. She never had.

"Sally?" he called again as he pushed open the door. She was curled into a ball around herself, completely nude on the bathroom floor, her hair damp and loose. As he entered the room, she looked up at him and he could see the desperation in her eyes, the grief he couldn't place. He had gotten to his knees and pulled her into a tight embrace. He didn't have to know why she was hurting to know that she needed comforting. She hugged him to her desperately and the whole of the story came out in spurts and cries, some of it he didn't understand, but her message was clear. She had loved him so much. She wanted him back, needed him. how could it hurt so much still after all of these years? But, more than missing him . . . she wanted a baby. She had always known that she would be a mother, that she would carry her child in her womb, but now it was so expensive to go to an artificial insemination clinic and she wanted the baby to have a father. But, she could never love like that twice in a lifetime. But, she wanted a baby so badly.

"Mei-Mei," he whispered in her ear as she calmed slightly after her outburst. Since they had started living together he had always used the term of affection for her, despite the fact that she was five years older than himself, "Mei-Mei," he had kissed away the tears on her cheeks, pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, "I'll do it. I'll have a baby with you, Mei-Mei. I'll raise a baby with you." To this day he could not figure out why he had offered, but as soon as he had, he could not bring himself to take it back. Instead, he had carried her to her bedroom, laid on the bed with her, and made love to her until she was too tired to move.

They had shared a bed every night for nearly four months before she had conceived and after she had things had gone back to normal. She had her bedroom, he had his. They laughed together like the old friends that they were and there was no discomfort between them. They were best friends and they were going to have a baby together and raise a baby together. As long as they understood it they didn't care what anyone else thought of it or them. He had surprised Sally and himself with how much he had anticipated the baby's birth, taking delight in decorating their guest room with her, reading up on every stage of the growth of their child in her womb. He had come to classes with her, had even come to sappy movies when she was in the mood for one. And they had laughed and stayed up talking for hours the first time they were both able to feel the child move in her. She had told him just after Sheira was born that the look on his face as she slipped into the world, his hair, her eyes, ten fingers and ten perfect toes, would be something she would remember for the rest of her life.

Nothing changed in their relationship after Sheira was born. They were still the best of friends, their child was just another thing they had in common. There was no animosity, no tension. They got along better than most married couples. Trowa, Quatre, Heero, and Relena were all so happy for them. Wu Fei had asked that no one tell Duo. He would tell him, but he never seemed to get around to making the call. Not even he understood his reluctance to tell his good American friend about the baby.

Then, everything had changed. Sheira had been five months old when Sally had gone on her first mission with the Preventers after her maternity leave. Wu Fei had stayed with Sheira because she had a little bit of a cold and neither parent wanted her to have to stay with a sitter for two days. Then, Wu Fei had gotten the call. There had been complications with the mission. Sally had still been in the building when it had exploded. In one single instant, and a sentence from a dispassionate voice, Wu Fei's whole world had changed. He's lost his partner and his best friend. The mother of his child, and his sister, all in the same woman. Gone in less than a second.

He didn't know what had possessed him then, but he hadn't been able to stay any longer in the apartment they shared. He packed up everything Sheira would need and left for Earth. When they had arrived, he had stayed in motels that barely passed for civilized while he tried to figure out what to do. It hadn't even been a conscious choice, when he was barely able to hold Sheira anymore, but he had somehow ended up on Duo's doorstep.

"And I'm glad for that now, Maxwell. I need to . . . I need to thank you. We've disrupted your life and I've put you in a position that wasn't fair. I shouldn't have asked it of you."

"Hey, stop that," Duo smiled, "Sheira's a joy. And if you can't turn to your friends, who can you turn to, huh? I'm going to go get you some soup."

"Duo," Wu Fei leaned and touched a hand to Duo's shoulder when he was about to stand. He had promised himself that he would never again, but he needed something purely for him at that moment. He pulled the front of Duo's shirt until the American's lips were just an inch from his, "Thank you." And the sweet, chaste kiss was everything they had both hoped and imagined it would be.


	15. Chapter 15

All previous disclaimers apply. Also, I do not own the song "Brothers Under the Sun." Bryan Adams wrote it and deserves all the credit for such a sweetly lyrical, beautiful song.

Duo was singing again. Wu Fei smiled slightly before he even attempted to open his eyes. It was not such a bad way to wake up, with Duo's sweet baritone permeating every room of the small residence. Every day for the past three when he had woken up from his just after lunch nap Duo had been singing. Sometimes the selections were depressing and sweet and made Wu Fei question what could make Duo's voice so heartbreakingly sad. Sometimes they were lively and he could imagine Duo prancing around the kitchen singing to Sheira when he heard her slam a plastic spoon against the tray of the high chair Duo had said he'd bought for her.

He'd done too much for them, Wu Fei winced. They'd utterly disrupted his life and he had just taken it in stride. Wu Fei looked at the advanced bedside clock that displayed the time, the date, and the weather. Almost three weeks. They had been with Duo for almost three weeks. Duo had taken care of him when he was severely ill and taken care of his baby without any help for nearly three weeks. Maybe a little help, Wu Fei mused. Relena had been over a couple more times since she had first visited and Duo's boss, he thought her name was Tammy or Cammi or something like that, had been over as well. She had made it abundantly clear that she did not like the situation at all and that she did not like him, though he wasn't sure why. He assumed it had something to do with the fact that he had taken one of her best employees for the better part of a month. But, when Duo had been in the room she'd been nothing but sweet smiles and happy words, assuring Duo that he had at least another month, maybe month and a half before she would really need him back. She even made jokes that she was finally getting him to take all the vacation time that he had earned over the years that he never had taken. So, perhaps a little bit of help, but for the most part Duo had been on his own.

And he hadn't made it any easier for the cheerful American, either, by refusing a hospital, but he hadn't been himself. He could recognize now that his fever clouded mind had made the hospital out to be the ones who couldn't help Sally. Sally had died instantly in an explosion, he knew. But, he had never liked hospitals, so he supposed that when he couldn't think straight he just put the source of his grief and his biggest fear, though he would never admit it, into one large refusal. Because of that refusal Duo had been forced to give up his bed and take care of him the old fashioned way. He told Wu Fei not to worry, that times like these were what friends were for, and that his couch was more comfortable anyway, but still, Wu Fei could not help but feel guilty. He took the thermometer from the bedside table and took his temperature. Ninety-eight point six. Normal. And two days ago he had let Duo talk into a clinic where they gave him pills to break up the cough in his chest. It only came anymore if he started to laugh, anyway. The doctor had said to wait a couple of days before he saw the baby just to be on the safe side, but he shouldn't be contagious at all any more.

Sheira. Wu Fei had never really thought of himself as a fathering type. It had been no surprise when Quatre and Trowa had been the first of them all to become parents. They had always had a nurturing sense about both of them, even if it was in completely different ways. It had even seemed natural for Heero to step into the role of father when his children had been born. He loved his wife a great deal, even if he had had a hard time expressing it for such a long time, so when the children came along it had just added to the love. He had learned to be soft, to be gentle, to really laugh, after he became a father. He ahd become the person he would have been naturally without the Perfect Soldier training. Duo, Wu Fei thought, had always been meant to be a father. The American was so loving and so good with children to begin with. It was poetic injustice that he was the only one of the five of them without any children of his own.

But, for himself, Wu Fei had never really seen children in his future. Had never really allowed himself to admit that he wanted them. He had not told Sally that he would have a baby with her just for her, he knew. When she had told him how badly she wanted a child and that she wanted the child to have a father who would love it, but not her, Wu Fei had told her he would do it because he wanted to see her happy and he wanted a baby, too. And if he let this chance escape him, he might never have another chance to be a father. He had been planning on never falling in love again. It hurt too much when the one you loved was taken from you, whether by death or circumstance. So, no chance of marriage and children that way. Sally's need had given him the excuse to become a father and he would be eternally grateful to her for that.

The moment Sheira had slipped into the world had been the most incredible of his life. The doctor had laid her on Sally's stomach and asked him if he wanted to cut the cord, which he had, but after he couldn't take his eyes off of the life they had created. When she was cleaned up and sleeping quietly in Sally's arms he had taken a good half-hour to just study her. A little part of him to hold and protect for the rest of his life. He now knew that it was true when people said that having a child meant having your heart walking around outside of your body for the rest of time. It had undone him. Less than an hour old and he was willing to die for her, to kill for her. He finally understood why Trowa had been begging for his little girl's life that night when he never had before. He would beg too, without a second thought, when it came to Sheira. He loved his baby girl. And he wanted to see her, needed to see her.

He threw back the covers and set his feet on the floor. He waited a moment for the dizziness to pass. He was still a little weak. He needed to take it slow. He did take it slow and twenty minutes later he was dressed in some of Duo's things that surrounded his with the distractingly fresh scent that was uniquely Duo, though he didn't linger on that, his hair was brushed, even if he hadn't pulled it into a ponytail again, and his teeth were brushed. He made his way slowly to the kitchen and paused just inside the doorway to watch as Duo danced around on the tile gracefully with Sheira in his arms as he sang and dinner cooked on the stove.

"Follow your heart, little child of the west wind. Follow the voice that's calling you home. Follow your dreams, but always remember me. I am your brother, yeah, under the sun. We are like birds of a feather. We are two hearts joined together. We will be forever as one. My brother under the sun."

He was barefooted without a shirt and the top button of his jeans was left carelessly undone. Wu Fei caught his gaze wandering down the light line of hair that disappeared under the jeans and tore his eyes back up when he began to think about what was under them. Duo had been best lover he had ever had, even though they had only been kids when their only encounter had taken place. There had been no one like the beautiful American who had trembled in his arms like the young man he was even as his eyes looked much older. But, that had been in the war. They all did what they had to do to make sure that they were in top fighting form. You could not be in top form if you were sexually frustrated and sometimes your hand just wasn't enough. It hadn't meant anything. He knew it was a lie even as he thought it. If it hadn't meant anything he wouldn't have shared desperate kisses with Duo every time they got together with the others. He wouldn't call Duo's name when he climaxed. He had even done it with Sally once, but she hadn't given him any indication that she had heard. He just didn't want to think what the implications of all that meant. Not now. Not ever.

"Beautiful song," he called out, "What is it called?"

"Oh," Duo spun around quickly to face him, "Brothers Under the Sun. It's pretty ancient. Twenty-first century A.D."

"Ancient is right. Where did you learn it?"

"Sister Helen used to sing it. Said her mother had sang it to her, and her mother's mother before that, and so forth and so on. Look, Sweetheart, look who's up and about."

Duo smiled as Sheira reached for Wu Fei, leaning far over in his arms. Wu Fei's eyes were suspiciously bright as he took his little girl from Duo and held her close. Duo turned his back to give them a few moments of privacy, but he could hear every word Wu Fei murmured even as he moved to the stove to check on the stew he had put together for their dinner.

"Hello, sweet girl. I missed you so much. Did you miss, Papa? I'm never going to let that happen again, I promise. I can't be selfish like that, can I? I have my angel girl to look after, don't I? I love you so much, pretty girl. I promise, never again."

"Hun . . ." Duo choked around the emotion that had formed a lump in his throat and tried again, "Hungry?"

"Starving," Wu Fei answered, "Smells good. What is it?"

"Beef stew."

"Sounds even better. Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Nah. I already fed Sheira, so if we put some cereal on her tray she'll probably sit quietly while we eat. Just a couple of minutes more. Why don't you sit down? Can I get you something to drink?" He had to resist the urge to play with his hair. God, he was acting like a love struck teenager. He just wished Wu Fei hadn't noticed. A quick look at his friend confirmed that he was too wrapped up in being with his girl again to notice.

"What do you have?" Wu Fei asked, settling Sheira into her high chair.

"I've got milk and three different juices, and some beer. Maybe some wine."

"A beer would be nice. I've had nothing but water for weeks, remember?"

"Beer, yeah, okay. Beer would be nice." Duo moved to the fridge and grabbed two of the long neck bottles out. He set one on the table in front of Wu Fei and twisted the cap open on his own before taking a long swig. He raised an eyebrow in question when Wu Fei just let his sit.

"I want to eat something first," Wu Fei explained, "I'm still a little weak and I haven't had an ounce of alcohol in weeks. I'd rather not get drunk off of one beer and shame myself.""Yo

u've really changed over the past couple of years, you know that?" Duo smiled, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?"

"I remember a man who would never admit he was weak, physically or spiritually, ever. A man who saw injustice and weakness in everything."

"Don't remind me, Maxwell," Wu Fei groaned, "I've grown up a little since those days, I'd like to think. Extremism was one of my war faults."

"Yeah," Duo agreed, "It was. But, it helped you survive. We all had things like that in the war. It's kind of refreshing to see how you've changed, how we've all changed."

"We've grown up," Wu Fei nodded, "Gotten grown-up agendas. Learned to care about things other than battle and war and what to do to survive. We've learned to live. There was a time I never thought past the next battle. Couldn't. Just in case. There was always the chance that I wouldn't make it out alive. But now, I'm thinking long term finally. As far as Sheira going off to a university."

"Grown up . . ." Duo trailed off, "Scary thought. But, speaking of . . . could you do a just a little bit more growing for me?"

"In what way?"Duo t

urned back to the stove and began dishing stew into bowls, "It wouldn't hurt you to call me by my first name at times other than when you're feverish or apologetic, would it?"

"Of course not . . . Duo." Duo's breath caught and he recited the peace proclamation in his head as he added bread to the bowls of stew. The man's voice was just too damn sexy for anyone's good.

When he had calmed himself sufficiently, he turned, walked to the table, and set a bowl in front of Wu Fei, another across the table from him. Then, he turned brought out box of baby cereal snacks and poured a few on Sheira's tray. Wu Fei felt his pulse jump when Duo leaned over without thought and placed a kiss to Sheira's forehead when he came back to the table for the third time just before he sat down. The man kissing his daughter's forehead should not have been that sexy. Duo smiled at Wu Fei once and then tucked into his dinner. Wu Fei couldn't help but laugh just a little.

"What?"

"Some things never change. Nothing comes between you and food, does it?"

Duo paused to consider for a moment, then shrugged, "Nope."

Wu Fei smiled and Duo smiled back. For just a moment and electricity passed between them that left them both blinking in surprise. They both turned back to their bowls at the same time.

"I'll do the dishes when we're finished," Wu Fei murmured after a few minutes.

"You don't have . . ."

"I'll do the dishes." he repeated, adding more force to his voice.

Duo just nodded, "Okay."


	16. Chapter 16

All previous disclaimers apply.

It was dark. Again. And he was trapped. Again. Damn it all to Hell! How the hell did they always manage to capture him? He was supposed to be the one who specialized in stealth, so how was it that they always managed to capture him first? He pulled against the shackles around his wrists, scraping and tearing at the skin until his wrists were bleeding. But, the blood was good. It would make his wrists slick. He pulled again and again until, finally, he couldn't even feel his wrists. He should have been free by then, but the shackles were just too tight. And tearing at the skin on his wrists until they bled freely, then tearing at them more, he had lost enough blood to make him feel lightheaded. Not enough to kill him, as the wounds were already clotting, but he really couldn't concentrate as he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, trying to stop the room from spinning around him. He couldn't even open his eyes again when the light shined bright on his lids.

"He's a pretty thing, isn't he?" He heard the slurred voices. Drunk soldiers. Great. Just what he needed right now, "Hard to believe he's supposed to be so dangerous, isn't it? When he's all shackled up like that? Let's have a closer look."

He felt himself begin to hyperventilate when he felt their hands on him, loosening his hair, his shirt, his pants. But, still he couldn't seem to open his eyes. He couldn't even move the tiniest bit, put up any fight. Drugged! He was drugged. It was the only explanation. But, why hadn't it kicked in before now?

"Such a pretty little thing. Such long hair. What does he think he is? A little girl? All he needs is a skirt. Maybe a good fuck. What do you think, beautiful? Oh, look what you've done to yourself. Cut your wrists. Trying to kill yourself? Well, not before we have our fun. Want to hear you scream, boy. Gundam pilot. 02."

He could feel their hands on him. He wanted to fight, but he couldn't even move. Even as they turned him over and pulled his pants down, exposing him like he was some common whore. He could feel the blood rushing to his face, the panic and shame building. And he did scream. As the first one entered him, tearing apart his body. He screamed. And kept screaming.

"Maxwell! Maxwell, wake up! Maxwell! Duo!"

Wu Fei put his hands on Duo's shoulders to keep the struggling man still. He had heard Duo thrashing around in the living room and had thought that the American was having trouble sleeping. Seeing as he couldn't sleep either, he had decided that he would offer to make them both some tea. he reached the living room just as the first of the screams began. Screams of pure terror and panic, shame and pain. He had never known Duo could make such a noise. He had come in and tried to wake Duo, but the man just kept struggling against him.

"Duo! Wake up!" He did the only thing he could think of and slapped Duo across the face as hard as he could.

Duo's eyes opened suddenly, but they were wide, unseeing, glazed over with the remnants of his dream. Wu Fei recognized the look and backed off just a little. Their one night together Duo had had the same look on his face after a nightmare, but Wu Fei had been able to wake him before the terrifying screams. He carefully covered Duo's hands with his own.

"You're safe," he whispered, using the same words he had used so long ago. Words he was sure Duo didn't remember. Words he wasn't sure he wanted Duo to remember, "It's just you and me here. Come back to me now. Come back."

Duo looked at him for a moment more, his breathing heavy, but, soon enough, his eyes cleared, his breathing returned to normal and he leaned over, pressing his forehead to his knees and moaning a little.

"I did it again, didn't I? The nightmare?"

"Yes," Wu Fei answered, "You did it again. What triggers it, Duo?"

"Not sure. Thanks for waking me. I'm so tired."

"You're doing too much, Duo," Wu Fei stood and crossed his arms, 'Working so hard and taking care of Sheira and me without a break. And sleeping on this couch. It's not comfortable, Duo. I know it's not. Why don't you take the bed back? I can stay on the couch."

"No," Duo's eyes were beginning to close again, "No. You're my guest."

"Guest?" Wu Fei scoffed and helped the half-sleeping man stand, leading him back to the bedroom, "More like leech. Lay down, Duo."

Duo did as Wu Fei said, snuggling into the comfortable pillow and whispering, "There's room for both of us, you know."

"Yes," Wu Fei smiled at the sleeping Duo as he slipped into the other side on the bed, "I know."

He was nearly asleep when he felt Duo's arm slip around his waist, Duo's head come to rest on his shoulder. He was surprised to find how right it felt, put an arm around Duo's shoulders, and fell asleep.


	17. Chapter 17

All previous disclaimers apply.

The sun was shining. Again. Duo moaned and rolled over away from it. Why the Hell did the sun have to be so annoying and just continue shining? Every morning there it was, even if he wanted sleep almost more than anything. He wrapped an arm around the warm body next to him in the bed and cuddled up against the strong back, feeling content and lazy when a hand linked with his and brought them closer together. He moved Wu Fei's hair out of the way and placed a chaste kiss to the back of his neck before sighing and settling back comfortably in the bed once again.

Wait a minute. Bed? Wu Fei? What?

Duo almost yelped as he opened his eyes to see that he was indeed in his bed and Wu Fei was indeed laying next to him and they were indeed holding hands. Wu Fei's eyes were still closed and his breathing was deep and even. Still sleeping. Duo carefully slipped his hand from Wu Fei's and wracked his brain for what had happened the night before. Of course, he didn't object at all to waking up warm and comfortable next to Wu Fei, but it would be nice if he could just remember how it had happened. He hadn't gotten drunk last night, of that much he was certain. And he was still fully clothed, he noted, almost sourly, as he looked under the covers. He could remember coming home from work to find Wu Fei playing with Sheira on the floor and saying that dinner would be ready in about ten minutes if he wanted to wash up. He'd felt incredibly domestic, then incredibly foolish for feeling that way. They'd had dinner, then they'd done the dishes side by side, watching Sheira play on her blanket in the middle of the floor. She looked up every once is a while and smiled at them, as if telling them she was glad they were both still there. Then, he'd given Sheira a bath while Wu Fei had made some calls and sent some e-mails concerning jobs he might be able to find in the area. Neither of them had discussed him moving out, even now that he was well. Then, they'd played with the baby until she was sleepy and put her to bed. Some T.V., some ice cream, and they'd both gone to bed. In separate rooms. So, what the hell had happened between then and now to get him in his bed again?

"Good morning," Wu Fei said quietly and Duo was jerked from his thoughts. He looked down to see the gorgeous Chinese man looking at him with intent black eyes.

"Good morning," he said pleasantly, smiling. Then he rubbed the back of his neck a little uncomfortably, "How did I . . ."

"Get in the bed?"

"Yeah."

"I led you here last night after one of your nightmares. It's really ridiculous for you to continue sleeping on the couch, Duo, when the bed is big enough for both of us."

"Yeah, guess you're right. Thanks. It's much more comfortable. Hope I didn't wake up Sheira last night. Cammi says I can scream pretty good sometimes when I get lost in my nightmares." Duo chose to ignore the shiver of pleasure that went up his spine at Wu Fei calling him by his first name and chose instead to worry over the baby.

"No," Wu Fei assured him, "You didn't wake her."

"Well," Duo moved to get out of the bed, "I'd better get ready for work." He hated how very awkward this all was.

"Duo," Wu Fei called when he was almost at the door.

"Hmm?"

"It's Saturday." Wu Fei was amazed at how much he wanted to add on to the statement that Duo should just come back to bed. And do what, Chang? His mind questioned his motives. Want to snuggle or want to fuck? Though either is equally appetizing when he's just standing there, looking all warm and still a little fuzzy from sleep in his flannel pajamas and tee shirt. Wu Fei growled silently at his betraying mind.

"Oh. Yeah. Okay. I'll just go see if Sheira's up yet, then." His breath escaped in relieved whoosh as he slipped out of the room and across the hall into the baby's room. Sheira was indeed up. She was sitting in the middle of her cradle, playing with her stuffed dog, and babbling away to herself in baby talk. Duo froze in the door and blinked, shaking his head and looking back at her again. She was still in the middle of her cradle, playing with her stuffed dog and . . . babbling away to herself in baby talk. As soon as she realized he was in the doorway, she looked up, smiled, and held out her arms to be picked up, giggling the whole time.

Duo felt his breathing get heavier and his throat slick with thick emotion as he stumbled across the room toward her, his eyes just a little misty. He picked her up and held her close to his chest, fighting back the overwhelmingly unmanly urge to sob. She was making noise. She was babbling and giggling. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

"Oh, sweetheart. Oh, baby," he could think of nothing more articulate to say as he rocked gently back and forth and she continued to babble, "Let's go show Papa, huh? He'll be so happy."

He didn't even bother to knock on the partially closed door, just pushed it open, couldn't even notice that Wu Fei was just buttoning a pair of jeans closed as he came in. Wu Fei looked annoyed for just a brief moment until he noticed that Duo was carrying Sheira, and she was cooing as she looked over at him from Duo's arms.

"She . . ." It was the only word he could get out of his mouth before he crossed the room in three quick strides and Duo handed him his baby girl. He threw her up in the air, beginning to laugh when she shrieked with joy and giggled uncontrollably as he caught her again. Duo began to laugh, too as Wu Fei did it again, and then spun her around. Neither of them realized it in their laughter and their desire to be close to Sheira, but it was completely natural for Wu Fei to wrap his arm around Duo's waist and pull them close together so that they could both look at the baby and laugh with her. Duo put an arm around Wu Fei's shoulder and touched Sheira's downy hair and tickled her under her chin with the other.

Wu Fei didn't know what over took him, but he was completely aware as suddenly, he was kissing Duo happily. And not the type of chaste kiss they had shared a couple of times since he'd been there. No, it was a deep, joy from the heart-filled kiss that went straight to his head. And other portions of his anatomy when Duo responded with the same scale of passion, the same hunger and need. They were both panting when they finally broke apart. But neither of them blushed or looked away. They had acknowledged the need and attraction again for the first time in years and there was no way they were going to back away from it now. But, as if on unspoken agreement, they pulled away. Not now. Right now it was time to celebrate Sheira. Later. Later could be for them.

"How about a trip to the zoo?" Duo asked happily.

"Yes," Wu Fei nodded, smiling, "I think she'd like that. Then maybe the park with the fountain in the ground that children play in?"

"Sounds great. I'll go get lunch together. We can leave in a hour if you can get her ready."

"Yes," Wu Fei grabbed Duo's hand as he was about to leave the room and pulled him back for one more deep kiss, "Tonight, Maxwell," he grinned, liking the idea of hot sex with the American again more and more.

"Yes, tonight, Chang," Duo grinned back, "Tonight."


	18. Chapter 18

All previous disclaimers apply.

**WARNING: Slash lime scene. Don't like, please don't read.**

He was nervous. Duo smiled ironically at his reflection in the mirror, a little pale, a little shaky. He'd been with Wu Fei before, been with others since, quite a few of them, in fact. Yet, here he was gripping the edge of the sink to keep himself from shaking like a teenaged virgin. He frowned at himself, debating in his mind whether he wanted to expend the energy to give himself a lecture about the fact that he should not let Wu Fei see him this way, but decided against it. There was really no use in it. He looked down at the toothbrush he held gripped in his hand, intent upon studying it rather than contemplating his feelings any longer. It always seemed to put him in an uncomfortable spot, a place he'd rather not be. He could hear Wu Fei in the other room, talking quietly to Sheira as he calmed her into sleep. Normally Duo would be part of the nightly ritual, but tonight he had felt like Wu Fei should have the time alone with his baby. It was her first day speaking again, after all. And Wu Fei had had to share her with him all day.

The trip to the zoo had been wonderful. Sheira had been delighted at all of the animals and had been a joy all day. Wu Fei, it seemed, was as anxious for the evening as Duo was, because there was rarely a time during the day when they were not in physical contact of some kind. Whether it was Wu Fei's hand to the small of his back or their fingers linked as they walked, or Duo's hand on Wu Fei's shoulder, they were constantly touching. For a while Duo had been able to fool himself into pretending that they were a real, young family on their first trip to the zoo. He had tried to shake himself out of the fantasy numerous times, but it hadn't worked. He just found himself grinning like a fool all over again every time Wu Fei grabbed his hand to pull him along to see the next animal.

He lifted the toothbrush and pointed it at his reflection. "Get a hold of yourself, Maxwell," he demanded quietly before placing the toothbrush back in its proper holder and moving out of the bathroom. He only paused briefly to look into the nursery where Wu Fei was sitting in the rocker, Sheira fighting a losing battle with sleep in his arms as he read her a storybook, before he moved into the bedroom. He contemplated what he wanted to be doing when Wu Fei came in for just a moment before deciding that the best thing to do would be nothing at all. He wanted this to happen naturally, and not to feel staged or theatric at all. He would let things progress as they would. First things first, though, he wanted to slip into his pajama bottoms. They were much more comfortable. He had just pulled his shirt over his head when he felt eyes on his back and turned to see Wu Fei leaning against the doorway, looking at him intently.

As nervous as he had been all day, just seeing Wu Fei standing there, looking at him with his unreadable black eyes, all of his nervousness evaporated. This was Wu Fei. This was right. They had been here before. Only now they were both adults without the added pressure of a 

battle looming over their heads. They could simply be Duo and Wu Fei in bed now, no tricks, no masks. The prospect was as daunting as it was appealing and so Duo decided that he would go with the appealing side and take it as a good thing.

He smiled and set and hand to his hip when Wu Fei simply kept studying him, "What?"

"You're stunning, Duo," Wu Fei said quietly, straightening and uncrossing his arms, "You must know that."

Duo had to resist the urge to just close his eyes and let the gentle words wash over him. Only in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that Wu Fei would say something like that to him just before they were getting ready to be together. It brought his nervousness back just a little and he went with his most prominent defense mechanism with a little bit of humor.

"You know, 'Fei, you don't need to give me pretty words to get into my pants."

Wu Fei crossed his arms again and looked down at the floor, "I'm not trying to… Duo… I just wanted to…"

Duo decided to have pity on him before he started shuffling his feet.

"Shh," He crossed the room in two quick strides and placed a finger to Wu Fei's lips, "I've been waiting for this all day, Wu Fei. Come to bed with me."

There was no more need for words as Wu Fei sighed and nodded, allowing Duo to pull him into the room. He shut the door quietly behind him before turning around and taking the American into his arms. The heat in the kiss was not a sudden flare as it had been that morning, but a steady building as they held each other close and he pushed them toward the bed. Duo fought to maintain his balance as the back of his knees hit the bed, but Wu Fei pushed until the pale man fell onto his back. Duo laughed and held his arms out, inviting Wu Fei down to him. Wu Fei pulled his shirt over his head and accepted the invitation in Duo's arms, laying on top of the beautiful American. Duo's husky laugh became a moan and melded with the one that escaped Wu Fei's lips as they delighted in the feel of the way their bodies fit together. How could they have forgotten how perfect they felt together, how they seemed made for each other?

The loving was unlike it had ever been between them. It was quiet and slow, all smooth touches and soft sighs. As the sighs began to give way to whimpers of need their bodies strained against each other and they linked hands, holding on as tightly as they could so as not to shatter too quickly. They couldn't have said, as they held each other and their bodies gave into each other, where one stopped and the other began. Duo gasped when Wu Fei gently kissed his neck. Wu Fei smiled when Duo pushed the hair out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ear before throwing his head back for another long sigh. They lost track of time as they lost themselves in each other and then found themselves again. It could have been minutes or hours before Duo whispered that he couldn't hold on any longer and Wu Fei kissed him in agreement. When they 

did finally tumble over the edge together, the force of it left them both trembling as they placed gentle kisses to available skin to help each other to calm. A shoulder, a neck, a forehead, a nose.

"Thank you," Duo said quietly after a while, when they were laying on the verge of sleep in each other's arms, "That was incredible."

"Hmm," Wu Fei murmured in ascension, loosening Duo's braid so that he could bury his hand in the abundant, soft hair.

"'Fei," Duo murmured as he began to fall asleep, unable to stop himself, "I love you."

He didn't notice as he slipped away into sleep the way Wu Fei's body tensed beneath him.

Wu Fei looked down at Duo's peaceful face. What was he supposed to do now? What had he done? What he had just done with Duo, it was not just sex. It was something he had never experienced before. It was one of the most real things that had ever happened to him. The only other thing that could even compare was the moment Sheira slipped into the world. How had he allowed this to happen? What exactly had happened? He wasn't quite sure if he truly didn't know or if he just wasn't allowing himself to know, all he knew was that all of the sudden a fear unlike anything he had ever known seized him. There had been a time long before when he wouldn't have admitted the fear. Now he admitted without pretense that he was terrified.

Fight or flight. It was the instinct of any animal. He slipped out of the bed and dressed quietly, not looking at Duo. He packed a small bag, went into the nursery and packed for Shiera. The baby was so tired from the day that she didn't even stir as he picked her up and tucked her in his arm. Then, without a look back, he took his daughter and left.

**Author's Note: I know the last part seemed sudden. It will be explained in the next chapter, coming much sooner than this, I promise!**


	19. Chapter 19

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

"Wu Fei, what are you doing here?" Quatre Reberba Winner-Barton leaned against the doorframe to one of the many guest rooms in the home he shared with his husband, the home that had once belonged to his father, and fixed his large, soft eyes in a glare on the man he considered one of his best friends. Wu Fei was currently sitting on the bed trying to comfort his very fussy daughter as she refused the spoonful of cereal he was trying to feed her.

"I should think it would be obvious," Wu Fei replied, a little bit of the disgust he was feeling at himself for not being able to feed his daughter showing through in his voice, "I am trying to get my daughter to eat."

"Don't act dense, Wu Fei," Quatre warned, not bothering to shield the anger in his voice, "What are you really doing here? Here in the colonies? Here in my house? Why aren't you with Duo on Earth? You were both so happy. I just… I don't understand. I thought that…"

"You thought what?" Wu Fei stood, giving up trying to feed Sheira and closing his eyes against the way she was looking at him, accusing him. He walked to the window and stared out at the colony beneath them, "You thought that I would stay with him? You thought I would marry him? Raise kids with him? You've all decided all of this for us!"

"Us?" Quatre knew that he was shouting now, and he never shouted, but he couldn't work up the energy to care, "Can you even hear yourself, Wu Fei? You think of yourself in a unit with him! You've spent the past months at his side! He loves your daughter! He loves you! What could be so wrong about it? Is it because he's a man?"

"Don't you dare, Winner!" Wu Fei growled back at the fuming blond man across the room from him, "Would I have slept with him if…"

"I don't know, Wu Fei!" Quatre didn't even let him finish, "Would you have? How can I not think so when you slept with him and left him? Maybe the only reason you ever slept with him was to get yourself off!"

"Winner, I don't want to hit you, but if you don't leave right now I will. I should kill you for even suggesting such a thing. Never mind the insult to my honor. _He _is worth so much more than that. To suggest otherwise…"

Quatre finally felt the emotion from Wu Fei that he had been trying to drag up the entire conversation. The pain, the love. The anger left his small body as quickly as it had come and he walked into the room and set a hand to Wu Fei's shoulder, "Wu Fei, you're just as in love with him as he is with you. Why won't you just give into it? You've been falling since that night so 

many years ago. You fell completely when you saw him dancing barefoot with Sheira. I love you both so much, I'm so in tune with you, I felt it all. Why won't you just give in to it?"

"Quatre," Wu Fei's voice was steady, "I can't. I spent so many years running away from him, hurting him. How could I be worthy of him now? If I was truly an honorable man I would have left Sheira with him and let them both be happy. But, I can't. She's mine and I promised that I would always take care of her the moment she was born. It will be better this way. If I leave him now it will hurt for a time and then he will find someone better."

"Wu Fei, he's been waiting for you for years. How can you think that? If he loves you, who are you to decide if you're worthy of him or not? If he wants you and you want him… If he loves you and you love him… It should be the easiest thing in the world."

"But, what if something happens to him?" Wu Fei asked quietly and Quatre was finally aware of just what it was that had Wu Fei running. He wanted to slam his hand against his forehead for not seeing it before, but didn't for fear of shaking Wu Fei out of his sharing state, "I've only loved like this once before. She was beautiful and strong, everything I wasn't. So I became everything she was to remember her. But, if something were to happen to him… I wouldn't be able to survive it. This love… it overwhelms me. If it was taken away... If he was taken away… he would take my heart with him. I'd be afraid that I wouldn't have anything left for Sheira and she'd be left alone completely."

"Wu Fei," Quatre wrapped his arms around his friend's shoulders, surprised when Wu Fei didn't push him away and just listened, "I can't tell you what to do. I was never able to tell anyone of you what to do. But, I can tell you that loss is what we risk when we love. But, a life without that love is not a life worth living. Don't make it harder than it has to be, my friend. Love without fear or you'll regret it. I think everyday since Briseis was kidnapped, what if something were to happen to Trowa, to one of my babies? I ask myself if I could survive that. But the more I think about it, the more I know that I would rather know that I loved them as much as I could while I had them than not love them at all. It all sounds cliché, I know, but can something be cliché when it's true?"

"Yes," Wu Fei smiled, "It can," Then he turned around and picked Sheira up, cuddling her, setting his chin to the top of her downy head, "Let's go home, little girl."

"Duo? Duo, open the door! Come on, Duo! Now!" Heero couldn't help the panic that was rising in his throat as he pounded on the door to his best friend's house. It felt like it had been days, but it had really only been hours since Quatre had called him and told him that Wu Fei and Sheira had just arrived at the Winner-Barton home and it had only taken a little bit of talk to discern that Wu Fei had left without telling Duo he was going. They both understood what that had meant. Quatre had been keeping close tabs on both of the men and had informed Heero as soon as it had begun to be more than dependence and friendship once again. As soon as his conversation with Quatre had ended Heero had called Relena at work, told her where he was going and gotten on a shuttle.

It was only a few hours later now, but he felt as if he had been traveling for days. The panic that started as a low fist in his chest was coming to a head as he prepared to kick down the door. He wouldn't admit it, even to himself, but he was afraid of what he would find behind the door. Duo was his best friend and he understood how deeply and quickly Duo loved. It had been hard enough when Duo had thought himself in love with Heero. It had been early on in the war when Heero hadn't yet allowed Relena to transform him and he had pushed Duo away with a disgust he hadn't truly felt. He had feared for the next weeks that he would either find Duo dead or hear of the bright-eyed American's demise because of the despair that had filled Duo's eyes as he had turned away. At the time Heero had told himself that he felt nothing, but he had dealt with the guilt of hurting someone so badly ever since. He was more worried now than he had ever been. Duo had gotten over him very quickly. He had never gotten over Wu Fei. They had all watched for years and years as he fell more and more in love with the Chinese man until he would never love another.

Heero was afraid he would walk into Duo's bathroom and find him cold and lifeless on the floor. It was something he knew he would survive, but that he didn't want to have to. He took a deep breath and prepared himself to kick down the door. Just as his foot came up a voice behind him surprised him so thoroughly that he stumbled and had to catch himself, a distinctly ungraceful move that normally would have had him flushing if he hadn't been so damn surprised.

"Heero? What the hell are you doing trying to break into my house?"

"Duo?" he spun around to see his friend, looking tired, but still put together and calm.

"Yeah, me. What are you doing here?"

"Why didn't you answer the door?" The natural reaction seemed to be anger and he couldn't stop it from coming through in his voice.

"I do have a job," Duo lifted an eyebrow, "It is Monday."

"A job?" Heero felt his knees go a little weak with relief, and a corner of his mind recognized how ridiculous he was being, but couldn't bring himself to care, "You went to work today?"

"Sure," Duo scoffed as he unlocked the door, "Did you expect anything different?"

"I…"

"You did," Duo swept into his house, dropped his coat on the hook, and toed out of his shoes, "You really expected me to fall apart because Wu Fei just dumped me like so much trash after I took care of him and Sheira for weeks, fell in love with them both, and he even went as far as to make love to me and leave without a word?"

"Duo…" Heero tried to place a hand to his friend's shoulder.

"No!" Duo pulled away and pulled a pan out of a cupboard before setting it on the stove, "I don't want to talk about it! I don't want your sympathy. Yes, it hurts like hell. Yes, it is going to hurt like hell for a long time. No, I will never be able to be in the same room with him again. At least not for a long, long time. But, you know what I'm going to do? I'm not going to fall apart. I fell apart once. I'm stronger than that now. I'm going to pick myself up, dust myself off, and start paperwork for adoption. You want to know why? Because I have always known that I should be a father. For a time I was one. Losing Sheira hurts just as much as losing Wu Fei. Maybe more. But, nothing is ever going to break me. Ever. Got it?"

"Yeah, Duo. I got it," Heero murmured.

"Good. Now, what I want us to do is have dinner, and then I want you to tell me everything about what you and Relena and the kids have been up to for the last little while. Maybe, if we're lucky, we'll get a little drunk. But not too drunk because I have to work tomorrow. Okay?"

Duo turned to him and smiled and Heero found that he could at least pretend to smile back, "Okay."


	20. Chapter 20

**All previous disclaimers apply. **

He was aware of the change in his house from the moment he opened the door. It wasn't just the fact that there was the spicy scent of pasta and red sauce in the air when he knew for a fact that he hadn't left anything on when he left for work and Relena, the only one who ever made him red sauce, was at home with her family. It wasn't the fact that Sheira's baby bag was by the door, ready to go, as it had been for the past few weeks. It wasn't the fact that he could hear Sheira in the other room, laughing happily as she slammed her spoon against her high chair again and again. It was a simple, small thing that a normal person would never have noticed. Wu Fei's shoes were in the front hall. In all the weeks that they had been living together, Wu Fei had never left his shoes in the front hall. He had always taken them into the room and put them in the closet first thing after they got home. It was the first, the only, and the biggest sign that Wu Fei was ready to settle down. With him. It was a sign that maybe, possibly, Wu Fei was ready to love him. And it made him mad as hell.

As he walked toward the kitchen, he tried to calm himself a little, to blink the blurry haze away from his eyes. It wouldn't due to upset the baby with his anger. She was no part of it. Even with how angry he was at Wu Fei, his heart was doubly glad that Sheira was back in his life. He had missed her so much. He took a moment, just before turning the corner into the kitchen and took a deep, calming breath. The playpen was still set up in the den.

He had to take another breath, this one for an entirely different reason as he heard Wu Fei's voice, addressing the baby, "Sweet girl, your daddy's home." Damn him. Damn him for saying one of the things that had come straight from Duo's dreams.

He slipped into the room, trying not to notice the way Wu Fei looked… so attractive in a pair of khaki's and a completely unbuttoned shirt, no shoes or socks. He didn't even look at the other man, though he was sure that Wu Fei knew he was there. Sheira squealed when she saw him and threw her spoon across the room. Wu Fei turned, leaned against the counter, and waited. Duo was able to appreciate the fact that Wu Fei didn't try to smile at him.

"Hey there, beautiful girl," he murmured as Sheira held up her arms for him and babbled away happily. He picked her up and held her close, "Did you have a good trip? I missed you so much. Yes, I did. Can you entertain yourself for a minute, baby. I have to have a talk with your papa." He carried her into the den, talking under his breath even as Sheira continued to babble. He knew they would have a few minutes when she just grabbed onto the nearest toy and began banging it against the playpen happily. She would entertain herself long enough for them to have this out. He walked back to the kitchen slowly, then leaned against the refrigerator on the opposite side of the room from Wu Fei as soon as he was there.

They looked at each other for a moment before Duo finally spoke, resisting the urge to close his eyes even when his voice broke around the emotion in his throat, "What are you doing here, Wu Fei?"

"We've come home, Duo." Wu Fei answered simply, hoping to convey the love he felt in his voice. He could see Duo struggling between wanting to punch him and wanting to throw his arms around him. Of course, he hoped for the latter, but he wasn't deluded enough to think that the former wouldn't happen. He kind of hoped it would be sooner rather than later. Anything was better than the pain he saw in Duo's eyes and heard in Duo's voice at the moment.

"Come home?" Duo half laughed, "You've come home? After you left without a word? After you took Sheira away without letting me say goodbye? You think I should just let you back into my house after something like that?"

"I was wrong, Duo…" Wu Fei tried to begin, tried to express what he wanted to, but Duo interrupted him.

"Damn right you were wrong, Chang! I can handle the fact that you don't love me! No problem. I've gotten over a broken heart before, I can do it again. But no! You had to sneak out as if I was something to be ashamed of. You made me feel cheap, Wu Fei! And then you took her away! Did you think I felt nothing for her? After so many weeks? You broke my heart twice!"

"Duo…" But, Duo wasn't done yet. He continued to yell.

"No! I am not going to let you say something incredibly charming now and make me want to fall at your feet all over again. I will not let you woo your way back into my life just so you can be comfortable until you decide that you're ready to be on your own again! I'm done, I'm through! I'm worth more than that!"

"Yes, you are!" Wu Fei finally lost his temper a little and allowed it to show through in his yell. It shocked Duo enough that he shut his mouth suddenly and just looked at Wu Fei, "You are worth so much more than the way I have treated you these last few weeks. And I am sorry! I didn't know what I had. If you'll let me, I want to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you."

He had taken a step toward Duo, but Duo held up his hands to ward him off, "Don't. Just don't, Wu Fei. You're not real. You can't be. You would never say anything like that. Not to me."

"I'm real, Duo. And I'm saying it to you. I was stupid. I was scared. I can admit it now. I ran because I was afraid of caring too much. Of losing you some day. But, Quatre helped me realize I would rather love you and lose you some day than never have you at all."

"What are you trying to say, Wu Fei? That you love me?" It tore into Wu Fei's heart to hear the bitterness in Duo's voice. He could only hope that his words would be strong enough to get through.

"Yes, Duo. That's exactly what I'm trying to say. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to raise children with you. Sheira first for a little while, then maybe one or two others. Please say yes, Duo."

"I can't," Duo's voice broke again, and Wu Fei saw hope, "I can't let you keep hurting me."

"I don't want to hurt you ever again," Wu Fei moved closer as he spoke until he was up against Duo, their bodies in contact from chest to ankle and one of his hands was on Duo's waist, the other curved around the back of his neck, "Never again. I'm tired of running. I know what I want. I want you. I love you. I'm a proud man. But, I'm not too proud to beg you to take me back. To keep me forever. Me and Sheira. It's a package deal." He risked touching his lips gently to Duo's and was rewarded when Duo kissed back for a split second before pulling back.

"Don't think I'm letting you get off so easy, Chang. I expect you to make this up to me."

"For as long as you want."

"And don't think you're getting in my pants for a very long time. I expect to be courted."

"Dinner, movies, dancing, flowers, candy, whatever it is you want. However much you want."

"And understand this: If you ever take that baby from me ever again, I will not forgive you. I will not take you back. I will not know that you exist."

"She's as much yours now as she is mine," Wu Fei promised and smiled when Duo's lips curved and pressed against his again. The kiss lasted a long time before they heard Sheira squealing indignantly about having been left alone for so long. Duo was laughing quietly as they pulled apart.

"What?" Wu Fei asked gently, unable to resist kissing Duo quickly one more time.

"Something I remember from my childhood. 'There abideth three things: Faith, Hope and Love. And the greatest of these is love."

"The greatest of these…" Wu Fei murmured, "I love you, Duo."

"You have the rest of our lives to stop saying that," Duo smiled, "I love you, too, Wu Fei."


	21. Chapter 21

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's note: Well, here it is, the last chapter. A very, very short epilogue. This story has been so long in finishing and I apologize for that. But, to those who have stuck with it since the beginning I say: Thank you so much! Without all of you guys I never would have even finished the story to begin with! A special shout out to Katrice who always seemed to email when I was away for too long. I would like this fic to be dedicated to you!**

"It's a little hard to believe, isn't it?" Duo asked quietly as he walked up behind his husband of nearly twenty-four hours and wrapped his arms around the strong waist, setting his cheek to the strong back.

"What is?" Wu Fei chuckled lowly as he covered Duo's linked hands at his waist with one of his own.

"That we have the next six days completely to ourselves? No baby, no work, no responsibilities."

"You already called Relena and Heero to check on Sheira?"

"Yep. Twice. She's having a grand time. Relena says she's having a great time, too, watching Heero and the twins run wrangle on her. She says she's enjoying the fact that she's too big to move very fast and so neither husband nor children expect her to chase the delighted baby who just learned to walk. She was laughing the entire time. Sounded like Sheira doesn't miss us at all."

"I give that another twenty-four hours. How long will you last away from her?"

"As long as the honeymoon," Duo laughed, "Guess we'll just have to think of a way to distract each other. For six long days. On this beautiful resort with sandy beaches and endless sunshine."

"Distract each other," Wu Fei mumbled, turning around in Duo's arms and wrapping the man he had married in his own embrace, "I was hoping you would say that we could just have wild sex, in here, in the pool when all the other guests are asleep, on the beach, in the shower, maybe in the ocean…"

"I guess that could be arranged," Duo shrugged and then kissed Wu Fei deeply. Wu Fei smiled into the kiss and backed them up until they were against the bed. They both laughed s they tumbled onto it and kept each other wrapped tightly.

"I love you," Wu Fei murmured after a few moments, "Thank you so much for agreeing to be my husband, Mr. Duo Maxwell-Chang."

"Well, how could I resist when it's only been my dream since I was a teenager?" Duo teased, then placed a kiss to Wu Fei's nose, "I love you, too, Mr. Wu Fei Chang-Maxwell."

"Sorry it took me so long."

"That's okay. You're just a little slow sometimes. It's one of the reasons I love you, really."

They both laughed for a moment before Wu Fei's face got serious again.

"What? What is it?"

"I was just wondering how long we should wait before we started paperwork for another baby." Wu Fei mused out loud.

"Hmm, not long," Duo mumbled, placing a kiss to Wu Fei's neck, "Sheira needs a brother or sister close to her age."

"I agree. So you wouldn't be upset if I told you that I'd already started the process?"

Wu Fei laughed again until the laugh became a sigh as Duo's non-verbal answer was definitely an enthusiastic affirmative. Neither of them spoke again for a long time.


End file.
